Chris Pratt is mourning the loss of Tony McFarr, the stunt performer who helped bring to life his action scenes in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Jurassic World” and other films.
The Marvel star paid tribute to McFarr on Instagram hours after news broke Thursday of the stunt performer’s death. The Orange County medical examiner’s office in Florida confirmed McFarr’s death to The Times. He was found dead Monday, and a cause of death is pending. He was 47.
“We did several movies together. We golfed, drank whiskey, smoked cigars, and spent endless hours on set,” Pratt said in a statement to his Instagram story. “I’ll never forget his toughness.”
Pratt shared behind-the-scenes photos of him and McFarr (born Antonio McFarr) in matching outfits on the sets of the films “Passengers” and “Jurassic World.” McFarr first became Pratt’s stunt double in the latter, which premiered in 2015. He was credited as Pratt’s stunt double in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” in 2017 and “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” in 2018, according to IMDB.
The Marvel and “Garfield” star celebrated McFarr’s resilience on set, recalling how the stunt performer “came right back to work ready to go again” after he took a “nasty shot” while working on “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and received several staples in his head.
Pratt added: “He was an absolute stud. He was always a gentleman and professional. He’ll be missed. My prayers go out to his friends and family, especially his daughter.”
The stunt performer’s mother said her son’s death was “unexpected and shocking,” TMZ reported Thursday.
McFarr performed stunts in other high-profile movies, including Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp” and “Captain America: Civil War.” His stunt credits also include “Pitch Perfect 3,” “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” “Logan Lucky” and both “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” films. His TV credits include “Homeland,” “Bones,” “The Finder” and “The Walking Dead.”
McFarr was also an actor who appeared in minor roles in TV series, including “Burn Notice,” “One Tree Hill,” “Army Wives,” “Graceland” and “MacGyver,” according to IMDB. He also owned the film-themed poké restaurant Reel Bowls in Orlando, starting in January 2013, his LinkedIn page says.
