Being a part of a massive franchise such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe can be a dream come true for most actors. For others, like Chris Evans, however, that dream also meant a great deal of pressure and responsibility, which the Fantastic Four star was not sure he wanted to bear.
Evans has joined Robert Downey Jr. and the other A-listers who make up the main cast of The Avengers, making Evans one of the most recognizable faces in Marvel Studios. Being one of the most sought-after names in Hollywood these days, his portrayal of Steve Rogers is among the most acclaimed of his career and the franchise.
But the “fame and loss of control” that came with the MCU role were not exactly a welcome gift for the actor, who has always tried to keep a low profile. Evans acknowledged in a September 19 interview with GQ that he was not initially sure if he wanted to take on all the challenges that would make him “deeply, deeply unhappy”.
Chris Evans Was Worried That His Captain America Role Would Make Him ‘Deeply Unhappy’
Chris Evans believed he would be playing the once-in-a-lifetime role of Captain America for the Marvel film franchise. But he also admitted that the pressure and attention he was getting from the media at the time were causing him to feel anxious. In a GQ interview, he discussed his thoughts upon receiving the role offer:
“I remember in my late 20s having a real shift in how I felt on set, how I felt promoting films: a little more anxiety, a little more uncertainty. You always end up questioning, Is this what I should be doing? I just wasn’t sure if I was moving closer to myself or further away. And something inside me kept saying that I was getting further away—that something about this industry wasn’t healthy.”
The Not Another Teen Movie actor, though, was candid about his list of “pros” and “cons”, the latter of which included dissatisfaction and a “loss of control”.
“The pros were that I’d be able to take care of my family forever; the cons were that I would become deeply, deeply unhappy with fame and loss of control.”
For Evans, though, things were not all bad. His role as Captain America has undoubtedly contributed to his financial stability and immense popularity as well. A major factor in his rise to prominence was his portrayal of Steve Rogers / Captain America in several MCU films, such as Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Chris Evans is Now Grateful For the Opportunity to Play Captain America
It is safe to say that Chris Evans’ choice to play Captain America has paid off, as the role has brought him unparalleled success and opened up new film opportunities. The actor, 42, ended up enjoying the role. Moreover, he stated that when he thinks back on it now, he is mostly thankful. He was never out of control or unhappy. To quote him (via GQ):
“I love playing that role. I feel connected to it in a way that when you revisit a character so many times you can’t help but try to absorb some of their traits and measure yourself against them.”
Unsurprisingly, GQ asked Evans if he would reprise his Captain America role. Moreover, unlike in previous interviews, the actor did not issue a vehement denial. He informed:
“Yeah, maybe. I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened…”
His work in the franchise propelled him to the ranks of the world’s highest-paid actors. In addition to the MCU role, Evans has acted in the TV miniseries Defending Jacob, the mystery thriller Knives Out, and the action movie The Gray Man. We will next see him in the action comedy Red One, also starring Dwayne Johnson.
Captain America: The First Avenger is streaming on Disney Plus.
