Chris Pratt's audition tape fo Parks And Recreation showed why the character of Andy Dwyer became the show's secret weapon. The 2000s featured a solid run of fantastic sitcoms, producing evergreen shows like The Office, 30 Rock and Arrested Development. Parks And Recreation debuted in 2009 on NBC, where the first season is generally considered its weakest. Despite a great ensemble, the show hadn't quite found its voice, but things improved considerably from season two onwards.
Parks And Recreation came to an end in 2015 after seven seasons and is now considered a beloved sitcom. This is down to the comic chemistry of the cast, which included Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Aubrey Plaza, Rob Lowe, and many, many others. Nick Offerman's (21 Jump Street) Ron Swanson became a real fan favorite thanks to the actor's deadpan delivery too. The show also provided Chris Pratt with his breakthrough role. Pratt had previously appeared on shows like Everwood and had supporting parts in movies such as Wanted, but Parks And Recreation was the first show to really make good use of his comic talents.
In fact, Pratt wasn't even intended to be a regular member of the cast, but his character - loveable dimwit Andy Dwyer - proved so popular he became a major part of Parks And Recreation. In the first season, Andy broke his legs falling into a pit and his girlfriend Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) attends Parks and Rec meetings to campaign for the hole being filled in. A snippet of Pratt's 2008 audition showed he had Andy Dwyer's guileless nature nailed from the off.
Even the Parks And Recreation casting team can be heard audibly cracking up at Pratt's performance, and Amy Poehler would later call his audition one of the best she'd ever seen. Chris Pratt would remain on the show throughout it's run. The series would also chart his fluctuating weight, as he felt Andy would be funnier if he was a little heavier. Pratt would later get into great physical shape for movies like Zero Dark Thirty and Guardians Of The Galaxy, which would have to be explained on Parks And Recreation itself.
Despite the huge success of Guardians Of The Galaxy - which made him an instant movie star - Chris Pratt remained with Parks And Recreation for its final season. Some actors are so perfect for a role its hard to imagine anyone else playing them, and it was clear right from Chris Pratt's Parks And Recreation audition, that nobody else could play Andy Dwyer better than him.