‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Stars Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana Break Silence on James Gunn’s Firing

Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Infinity War stars Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana have published their first tweets since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 writer-director James Gunn was fired by Disney Friday after years of offensive tweets came to light.

“It’s been a challenging weekend I’m not gonna lie,” Gamora actress Saldana wrote in a tweet published Sunday. “I’m pausing myself to take everything in before I speak out of term. I just want everyone to know I love ALL members of my GOTG family. Always will.”

“‘Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters. Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.’ JAMES 1:19,” Star-Lord actor Pratt, a dedicated Christian, wrote in a tweet Sunday. Pratt accompanied the Bible verse with the prayer hands and heart emoji.

Saldana and Pratt’s comments come after Drax actor Dave Bautista took to Twitter Saturday in defense of Gunn, calling the filmmaker “one of the most loving, caring, good natured people I have ever met,” adding he is “NOT ok with what’s happening” to Gunn.

Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, who plays Kraglin and performs the on-set motion capture for Rocket Raccoon, issued his own defense of his brother in a lengthy social media post.

“So I guess my hope is that fans continue to watch and appreciate the Guardians movies, not despite the fact that the filmmaker used to be kind of a jackass, but because of it. They are, after all, movies about discovering your best self,” Gunn wrote. “Working on those movies made my brother a better person, and they made me one too. I’m proud of that. Peace.”

The director was swiftly fired by Disney Studios chief Alan Horn, who condemned Gunn’s history of “offensive” and “indefensible” comments published on social media. “The offensive attitudes and statements on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values, and we have severed our business relationship with him,” Horn said in a statement.

Over the course of years, Gunn repeatedly published crude and often graphic tweets involving pedophilia, molestation, rape, and other abuses.

Gunn previously came under fire in 2012, after he won the Guardians of the Galaxy directing job, for other unrelated comments published to his own website that GLAAD deemed “anti-gay” and “sexist.”

Saldana, Bautista, and Pratt next return in Avengers 4, out May 3, 2019.