Chris Evans knows his life is changing, and he’s been trying to prepare for it. With the release of “Captain America: The First Avenger,” the Boston native is experiencing a new level of visibility, with his face on posters, billboards and toys around the world.
“I’ve just got to get through this week. That’s what I’ve been telling myself,” Evans says. “Press with studio audiences, red carpets, cameras — when there’s a lot of people, I just don’t do well. I don’t know what it is, I feel very self-conscious.”
From what we’ve seen, he doesn’t give himself enough credit. Metro sat down with the charming and affable Evans for a candid chat.
Is it weird to have the movie opening the same weekend as Comic-Con?
If the fan reaction is good, it’ll be great. If the fan reaction’s not good, it could be a wildfire of disaster. You never know with these things. You never know what they’re going to like. Who knows? Who knows? Who knows? They’re so picky, and you just want to make sure they’re happy, because without them, we don’t make these movies.
You should be OK as long as you don’t say anything really inflammatory about them in the press.
Exactly. “F— geeks! Go get a f—ing life, nerds!” Let’s not print that.
You’re playing Captain America again in “The Avengers,” which is currently in production. How is it reprising the role so quickly?
I mean, it is what it is, and I obviously would’ve liked more of a break, but no such luck. So you know, you deal with it. There are certain things that you struggle with, and then you have to stop yourself and go, “Wait a minute, but Chris, this really is such an insignificant obstacle, let’s not make a meal out of it.”
And now you’re part of an ensemble, with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk …
I love being part of an ensemble. If I had my way, I’d only do ensemble movies. I love having a group and a team. It’s just a more fun experience for me when there’s a bunch of us to share it with.
You’ve mentioned that Robert Downey Jr. has been giving you lots of advice.
He’s the best, man. He’s given me a few pieces of wisdom. I’ve talked to him about stress and insecurity and the stuff that I struggle with when it comes to doing interviews and dealing with celebrity, and he said, “Look, Chris — the way you cope with this is by talking about it. The healthiest thing you can do is bring it to the surface. Don’t try to deal with it on your own.” He’s got a very healthy sense of wisdom about him. He’s been through a lot.
You played a great parody of a conceited movie star in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” What do you do to make sure that you never become like that yourself?
[Laughs] That’s a good question. I’ve got a great group of friends and family. I know it’s a cliche answer, but it’s true. My friends and family are just fantastic. They’re all back in Boston, and they all just keep you grounded.
