Few actors have played a superhero as often as Chris Evans. Seemingly destined to wear Lycra, his acting wardrobe has been the stuff of little boys’ dreams, portraying the Human Torch in Fantastic Four, Captain America in the film of the same name and Captain America again in Marvel’s The Avengers – one of Disney’s highest-grossing movies to date.
But with such a macho image, it might come as a surprise to learn that in his spare time Evans reads self-help books and that before signing up to the Marvel comic-book movie franchise he checked himself into therapy to ‘work on his head’. Both of which make him sound rather more ‘super-emo’ than superhero… So what’s the real story beneath those piercing blue eyes and rugged good looks?
Well, there’s certainly a lot more to the Massachusetts-born 32-year-old than straightforward stardom and spandex. It’s clear during his phone call from the US that he’s on edge talking to the media (my research warned me that he can be a bit of a grump), and he’s eager to downplay the more glamorous or potentially shallow side of his job, instead bringing everything back to the more meaningful things in life. Which makes for the kind of guy you’d like to be friends with but, frankly, not particularly brilliant pull-quotes. This is the sort of man who takes his mum to the Oscars; a family-values Bostonian guy’s guy who oozes a strain of down-to-earth sensitivity that could be a real liability in the tough world of Tinseltown. And yet he’s managed to turn it to his advantage, becoming a leading man in a billion-dollar franchise, bagging an enviable endorsement deal with Gucci to promote its Guilty fragrance alongside fellow Hollywood starlet Evan Rachel Wood, and blending brains with brawn so successfully that critics have praised his on-screen vulnerability and presence. Not something you necessarily need from a movie macho man, you might think.
However, perhaps Evans’ complexity is what makes him perfect for the superhero role. Comic-book geeks have long-argued the philosophical side of their fantasy worlds, and one of the most compelling aspects of Captain America is the tension between the weedy, ordinary Steve Rogers and his muscle-bound alter-ego. Outside of the superhero genre, Evans has dabbled in a plethora of edgy indie movies, often drawn to characters with split personalities – notably the sociopathic contract killer Robert ‘Mr Freezy’ Pronge in the 2012 crime-thriller The Iceman, who, when not committing vicious murders, sells ice cream to children. And, presumably, it was Evans’ unique mixture of stern-and-soft, mainstream-and-edginess, that possessed Marvel Studios to persist in chasing him for the part of Captain America, even after he’d turned down the contract multiple times because he didn’t want to be typecast as a cartoon (the aforementioned therapy, we can assume, must have convinced him that being an international superstar might not be so bad after all).
Having enjoyed commercial success ever since his first role in the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie, the Captain America franchise along with his Gucci deal have sealed Evans’ status as both a household face and name. But he still insists that his main goal is for his family to be happy, and does charity work at his local hospital whenever he’s back in his hometown.
In the run-up to Captain America sequel, The Winter Soldier out next year, we try to get under the skin of a superhero who hates to be typecast…
Do you feel pressure to look good?
Yes, I suppose I do. It’s a matter of trying not to listen to it; once you start it’s hard to get out of that mindset. But I think it’s all relative. In the past men have always felt the need to look a certain way, it’s just the way they want to look may have changed over time.
What’s your grooming routine?
I’m not really into grooming products in a big way, but I enjoy working out and playing sports with my buddies. Being active makes me feel better, more mentally affirmed, but in terms of being serious about building muscle and piling on the pounds, that is just for movies.
We’ve heard you do some charity work. Could you tell us more about it?
I help out at Boston Children’s Hospital. I try to do it every time I go back to Boston. It generally involves going from room to room, sitting and chatting with the kids – some are more healthy than others, so you need to be conscious of how much each one of them can take. Kids are a real soft spot for me. I had such a good childhood and it’s so sad if kids are robbed of that because of ill health. I will try to do anything I can to put a smile on their faces.
Your career highlight so far?
Being in The Avengers. It’s the biggest thing I’ve done and it was so well received. Sometimes you can invest a lot in a movie and have a great experience yourself but for it also to be well received is a real treat.
Your ultimate career goal?
Happiness. I love acting but my career is not my life, I am motivated by the desire to make memories and have fun with my friends and family and experiencing my life with the people who matter. My career, however much I am endlessly grateful for the luck I have found in it, is a means to an end. It doesn’t define who I am or my happiness.
So what motivates you to work?
The possibility of making my family’s life easier. I’m in a profession where I am afforded the possibility to make the lives of the people I love better, simpler – that’s the best way I can put it.
You’ve played a superhero many times. What is heroism to you?
Putting yourself last… Putting other people’s needs before your own.
And what superpower would you choose if you could pick any one?
Flight – it would be crazy not to. I don’t know who could pass that up.
You’ve been in everything from action movies to comedy and sci fi. What do you think the genre of the film of your life would be?
I’d say dramody – a mixture of drama and comedy. I don’t know how much action there would be in my real life…
Speaking of action, is it true that you do your own stunts?
I like to. It depends if the production will let you, because of course if you get injured then production is stalled. Any time they feel comfortable with me taking the gloves off and getting into the ring, I am all up for it.
Have you ever been injured doing stunts?
I’ve got some bumps and bruises along the way but it’s all part of the job.
So when you’re not being beaten up, what is the hardest part of your job?
The waiting around. You’re usually on set for around 12 hours, but you are probably sitting in your trailer for a good chunk of the day. It’s a lot of ‘hurry up and wait’ you know?
What do you do to pass the time?
Depends, but I like to read or play guitar, mainly singer-songwriter kind of tunes. I learnt the guitar while on film sets. If you bring a guitar with you by the end of it you’ll probably be pretty good.
What kind of books do you read?
It might sound kind of strange but they probably come under the self-help section. I like Eckhart Tolle. Philosophy. The Power of Now is a really great book, I found it totally inspiring. It’s the way I want to live my life.
What’s next on the horizon for you?
I just like variety, whatever I’m in the mood for – I try not to think too far into the future, and try to stay as much in the present moment as I can. If I just spend three or four months doing a drama, I may be hungry for a comedy. Whatever grabs me in the moment is what I pursue.
