Chris Pratt Gets Stung in the Eye by a Bee

Chris Pratt may have no problem fighting off intergalactic villains and dinosaurs alike, but the actor may have found his match when it comes to a hive of bees. The Guardians of the Galaxy star, 43, took to Instagram Thursday to reveal he had found himself on the wrong side of a bee’s stinger in a hilarious video.

Pratt begins the video wearing sunglasses as he talks about following Texas-based beekeeper Erika Thompson on social media, whom he thinks is “so cool and brave” for all the work she does with the bees. “She goes in front of these hives and bees and says, ‘They’re very calm today. I’m going to remove the bee. I’m going to use my bare hands,’” the Marvel star says of Thompson, who is well-known for handling bees without the use of protective equipment. 

Pratt continued that by watching Thompson’s work with the bees on social media, she “built up this false sense of security in me,” so when he was recently near a beehive, he decided to try and emulate her and move it on his own. “I just stared at these bees and then one of them come out and it stung me in the eyeball,” the Jurassic World star explains, removing his sunglasses to reveal a swollen left eye. “So, anyways, f- that bee lady.”

Pratt even tagged Thompson in the caption of his post, writing, “@texasbeeworks you inspire me! But for real tho…” Thompson was quick to respond in the comments section, jokingly referencing Pratt’s upcoming role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, in which he voices Mario alongside Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong.

“Wait-so now you’re going to be a plumber and a beekeeper [Chris Pratt]?! If you leave saving the bees to me and other professionals, you can focus on saving the Princess, Mario,” Thompson wrote. Pratt’s bee sting didn’t garner much sympathy from the actor’s famous friends either. Brother-in-law Patrick Schwarzenegger commented simply, “Lmao,” while Michael Strahan added a long line of crying laughing emojis. Pratt’s friend Jason Kennedy commented, “I’m not laughing, I’m not laughing, I’m not laughing… I’M LAUGHING,” while his The Terminal List co-star Hiram A. Murray chimed in, “Sorry for laughing bro, you know where my heart is but daaaaamn!!!”