The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always had a gift when it comes to casting; they find the perfect character for each role.

Chris Pratt as Star-Lord is no exception! However, he faced some stiff competition from a talented batch of actors to earn a chance to join the Avengers.

In a franchise that already had several (expertly cast) actors named Chris on the team, he was introduced as the plucky and smart-mouthed Star-Lord (aka Peter Quill) in 2014′s Guardians of the Galaxy.

Since then, he’s stepped out with the team of heroes multiple times, most recently in 2023′s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

While he is now synonymous with the part, we did some digging and rounded up 15 other actors who auditioned for the opportunity. Interestingly, there are even rumors about who were the second and third choices.

Some of his competitors wound up acting alongside Chris in the MCU. One even joined the cast of the first Guardians movie in another role. Others have fronted their own mega-successful franchises.

Scroll through the slideshow to see who else could have played Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe…