Chris Pratt has one of the most endearing rags to riches stories of anyone in Hollywood. The buff star of the smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy has enjoyed an immense career boost, but he wasn’t doing too shabby before that.

His run on Parks & Recreation had the nation laughing at his sweet, hopeless character, Andy Dwyer. And it wasn’t hurting his bank account.

However, his beginning is what is so very fascinating, and admittedly fitting, of the man that is Star Lord.

Chris Pratt was homeless and living the good life in Maui with friends before he landed his first role.

“It’s a pretty awesome place to be homeless,” he says. Chris Pratt spent his nights sleeping in a van or sometimes in a tent on the beach. “It would be different if I lived on the streets of Chicago and ate garbage from a dumpster. We just drank and smoked weed and worked minimal hours, 15-20 hours per week, just enough to cover gas, food and fishing supplies. You know, it was charming time.”

Sounds about right.

Pratt posted this photo on Facebook to confirm this info, just in case you thought his story was made up.

He got his big break there when he waited on the table of actor-director Rae Dawn Chong who happened to be the star of one of Chris Pratt’s favorite movies, Commando.

That day at Bubba Gump’s turned out to be the beginning of a beautiful thing. Chong was immediately fond of Chris Pratt and offered him a role in a short movie she was directing, Cursed Part 3.

The rest is history! Can’t wait to see what is next for Chris Pratt, but it’s sure to be more leading roles and a rise to Hollywood icon status.

Image via YouTube