Chris Pratt Preferred a Real Bot Over Rebecca Ferguson for His AI Co-Star Role

Some actors would jump at the chance to share the screen with Rebecca Ferguson, but Chris Pratt initially considered a different direction for his latest film, Mercy.

In this futuristic thriller, Pratt plays a police officer accused of murdering his wife. With everything on the line, he finds himself strapped to a chair and interrogated by an artificial intelligence, portrayed by Ferguson, who must determine his guilt or innocence.

Given her roles in the Mission: Impossible series and as a revolutionary’s mother in the Dune films, Ferguson seems like a perfect fit for a law-enforcing AI. However, Pratt noted that she faced some competition in the early stages of casting.

“I remember discussing various actors for these roles, and at one point, I suggested, ‘Should we have an AI as the judge, and create an AI character?’” Pratt shared. “Everyone was like, ‘No, I don’t think so,'” he recalled, recognizing that it might not have worked out well. Laughing at the polite dismissal, he added, “I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t think that’s a good idea at all.'”

Of course, brainstorming can lead to unexpected ideas. “So it was never really a possibility, just like anything is a possibility when you’re narrowing down the final choices. It’s a collaborative process,” Pratt explained. Interestingly, there was another suggestion that might have been even wilder than a real AI: an AI in the likeness of Oprah Winfrey.

“It’s silly, and it didn’t make sense, so I’m glad we didn’t go that route, but one of my early pitches was, ‘What if [my character] could choose the judge, and I could pick Oprah, or anyone I wanted? Because ultimately, it’s just a face on a [screen]. I thought it would be funny to have Oprah do it.’”

Now, could AI come up with something like that? Probably, but let’s be thankful it didn’t happen.