Katy Perry‘s legal fight over her $15M Montecito mansion has seemingly got even messier – and ex-fiancé Orlando Bloom isn’t the only other A-lister caught up in the drama, because Chris Pratt has now been dragged into it too!
The 40-year-old Roar singer has been battling 85-year-old U.S. Army veteran Carl Westcott, who suffers from dementia, over ownership of the property for the past five years. Perry, who bought the home in 2020, was accused of taking advantage of Westcott’s condition when he agreed to sell it, but after years of back-and-forth, Perry won ownership of the mansion last year.
But the case didn’t end there, as she is now seeking up to $6M in damages, claiming the house came with hidden problems, including water damage, mold, a fallen tree, and lost rental income. This move has caused the “I Kissed a Girl” singer to face enormous backlash, with fans calling her “an awful person” and a “despicable human being,” among other things, for putting Westcott and his family through this ordeal.
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What Is Chris Pratt's Role In The Case?
So where does Pratt come in? According to reports, the Passengers actor, 46, has been renting the mansion from Perry. He and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, 35, have been living there with their three children, Lyla, Eloise and Ford, paying rent to the "Harleys in Hawaii" singer.
"The arrangement suits Chris, but it's a bit of a surprise given how Katy fought tooth and nail to get her hands on the house," an insider told the Daily Mail back in June. "She previously suggested it was the ideal place for her and Orlando to raise a family. After all that time, energy, and money, it seems unthinkable that they are not going to live in it."
Of course, we now know why Katy and Orlando won't be living there together now since they've called off their engagement and have gone their separate ways, only reuniting to co-parent their five-year-old daughter Daisy Dove.
Why Chris Pratt Could Be Called To Testify
Although the Guardians of the Galaxy star hasn't been deposed or formally ordered to appear (at the time of writing) Westcott's family has asked the judge to question him as a witness. This is reportedly because they want him to talk about the property's condition, and whether he's experienced any issues while renting. Makes sense!
Attorney Christopher C. Melcher weighed in on the case, and told Fox News Digital that Perry's team may point to Pratt's tenancy as proof the home was liveable. "His defense is that the home could not have had mold and other major issues because Perry rented the place to Chris Pratt," Melcher explained.
He added: "But repairs could have been made by Perry before renting the home to Pratt. If so, the subsequent condition of the home when Pratt was a tenant is not relevant to what the home looked like when Perry got the keys."
And there is another twist that could make things even more interesting – read: messy! According to last month's court filings, Katherine Schwarzenegger's mother, Maria Shriver, was one of the bidders competing with the former American Idol judge for the home back in 2020, which pushed Perry to increase her offer from $13.5M to $15M. Perry is set to take the stand today (August 26th) in the six-day, non-jury trial, so let's see what happens…
