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Chris Evans shot to international stardom with his role as Steve Rogers a.k.a Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He played the character in seven films, leading theAvengersfilms along with Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, and also starred in his own trilogy of films.
Evans’ role in the MCU was his big Hollywood breakthrough. Seeing how much he has contributed to the character, who is known for his integrity and moral compass, it is surprising to know that the actor had rejected Marvel’s offer twice before finally picking up the shield.
Also read:“Leaving was heartbreaking”: Not Marvel, Chris Evans Hails This Low Budget Cult Classic as His Favorite Despite Being Insulted on First Day of Work
Chris Evans Was Unsure About Accepting The Role Of Captain America
The star-spangled suit was notChris Evans’first stint with Marvel. He played the role of Johnny Storm a.k.a the Human Torch in Fox’sFantastic Fourfilms. Hence, the actor was reportedly not on the initial list of actors for Captain America, when Marvel wanted to make the film. However, Kevin Feige mentioned that the team then could not find anyone more perfect than Evans. He said in an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,
“And as we [continued] not finding people, we went back to the initial lists. And that brought us back to Chris. And I thought, well, Patrick Stewart played Jean-Luc Picard and Charles Xavier. Harrison Ford played Han Solo and Indiana Jones. Who cares?”
Also read:“It’s unchartered waters”: MCU Felt Monotonous and “Tedious” to Chris Evans and His Marvel Co-star After Getting a Taste of Independent Films
Evans was then reportedly offered the role, with a nine-film contract, which the actor refused. They then came back with a six-film deal, which Evans passed again. The actor admitted that at the time he was feeling anxious over the media attention and pressure he was facing as an actor. He said in an interview withGQabout his mindstate when he was offered the role,
“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.”
However, he was convinced by his eventual co-star Robert Downey Jr. to accept the role.
Also read:“If I’m doing my job well, they hate me”: Chris Evans Was Traumatized After Playing a Villain For Too Long, Claimed It Took A Toll On His Psyche
Why Did Chris Evans Accept The Role Of Steve Rogers?
After rejecting the offer twice, Chris Evans was reportedly called to the Marvel Studios office to check it out by Kevin Feige. Evans mentioned the temptation to do the role conflicting with his need for privacy and freedom. He reportedly weighed the advantages and disadvantages of playing the role. The actor was offered a multiple-film contract and had the opportunity to headline one of the biggest franchises in the world. He mentioned in an interview with GQ,
“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.”
Evans then reportedly had a conversation with Robert Downey Jr., who encouraged him to accept it. The actor reportedly said yes to the role and immediately went to the therapist. Evans has since said that he loved playing the role and that it has given him a lot of what he has now. He said,
“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…You kind of feel like you were just lucky enough to go along for the ride.”
Chris Evans has starred in seven films as Captain America, withAvengers: Endgamebeing one of the highest-grossing films of all time. The actor has benefited monetarily from the films as well, with his appearance in the final film reportedly earning him $20 million.
Also read:“I wouldn’t take the black eye if it feels like a cash grab”: Chris Evans Will Not Return as Captain America Just to Make More Money For MCU
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
