How Eric Church Partly Inspired Chris Pratt’s Character in ‘Jurassic World’

It turns out that Eric Church’s outlaw sensibilities are in part responsible for inspiring the character Chris Pratt plays in the new film Jurassic World. In a cover interview with GQ, it's revealed that before Pratt would start shooting a scene for the movie, he had a mantra he would recite, and it involved the country singer.

“Flow core, no TC, volume up point five, Eric Church,” Pratt would say before the cameras rolled.

The TC refers to "triple chin," which reminded Pratt to lead with his forehead so as to avoid the dreaded folds. "Volume up point five" reminded him to speak loudly, "flow core" referenced his posture when paddle-boarding, and then, there was Church.

According to GQ, Pratt listened to Church’s "Dark Side" over and over again to help him get in character for the good-hearted outlaw Owen, who works to train the dinosaurs, earns their respect and spends the movie as both their advocate and the people’s protector. The song’s vibe and lyrics complement the character’s persona well, with its almost western-like ramble and undercurrent of danger. It’s tempered and calculated, even a bit eerie, as if the calm is a thin veil, leaking glimpses of the rebel underneath.

For a stoic man living on an island among formerly extinct dinosaurs, it seems to fit.

Church is touring the country on The Outsiders tour, and he's promised no show will be exactly alike. He also recently appeared at Nashville’s CMA Fest, where he hosted a pop-up shop selling one-of-a-kind merch for fans.

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