How Did Chris Evans Become Captain America?
Chris Evans has captivated fans as Captain America since 2011, but the road to becoming the Marvel superhero was anything but easy. Evans has since become a household name, associated with America’s staple superhero, but the help of Fantastic Four launched him into the spotlight for his role as the Human Torch. In a time where superhero films were just beginning to gain popularity, Evans was right in line to capture any opportunity that came his way.
Evans has dawned the red, white, and blue suit as Captain America from 2011 to 2019, where he retired the role after Avengers: Endgame. After appearing in 10 Marvel films, three being stand-alone for Captain America, Evans’ decision to take the role seemed like a no-brainer. However, his decision to take the role and his ultimate casting as Captain America was not one without struggle.
How He Got Cast
With his role as the Human Torch in Fantastic Four opening many doors for him, it seemed as though others would potentially close, for the film was received poorly by critics and was moderately successful in the box office. The fact that Evans already played a superhero was a potential deciding factor for Marvel because fans tend to gravitate towards that actor as that one role. For many, it can be tough to distinguish one superhero from another if the same actor portrays both. But Marvel came around and realized that an actor could lead two franchises and have both be successful, as evident by Harrison Ford playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones.
Evans was offered the role multiple times and continued to turn it down, mainly for commitment reasons, but there was one other Marvel superhero who came to his rescue: Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. was the one who convinced Evans to take the role, and with continued support from Marvel, Evans was cast as Captain America. The decision to enter a multi-picture deal can be intimidating but working with such a reputable and fantastic company in Marvel gives actors the opportunity to genuinely consider the choice in front of them and not feel rushed into a decision. For Evans, this proved to be more than true.
He Almost Turned It Down
Although the commitment aspect of a multi-picture deal was difficult to grasp, there was a more pressing issue for Evans that caused him to almost turn down the iconic role. He found himself overwhelmed with anxiety and panic attacks and began questioning if acting was the right choice for him. On the set of 2010’s Puncture, Evans began to suffer from anxiety attacks and his mental health seemed to take a dive. When Marvel first approached, Evans felt the suffering would be all his own and declined to even test the role. On Marvel’s insistence, Downey Jr. came to Evans’ aid and was able to convince him of this opportunity. Eventually, Evans came around and became the famous Marvel character fans all know and love.
Who Else Was Considered
With a franchise this big, many actors came through those audition doors to test for the role of Captain America. With many famous names on the list, for Marvel to continue to chase Evans is proof that they knew their man when they saw him. Actor Alexander Skarsgård auditioned for the role, along with comedian Dane Cook, and musical brothers Kevin and Joe Jonas. The short list was where things got interesting seeing the likes of Channing Tatum, Scott Porter, John Krasinski, and Sebastian Stan, who would be cast as Captain America’s sidekick, Bucky Barnes. Evans was of course on the short list as well and the rest is Marvel and cinematic history.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGifqK9dmbalecKhqaKrXZrDorrSZpmem5%2Bism6vwKmrmqGeYq6usdGimppn