Chris Evans know 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. Metro sat down with the charming and affable Evans for a candid chat about being a superhero, getting advice from Iron Man and going home again.
So now that the big week is here, how has it been?
It’s been OK, it’s been OK. I think in my head I made it a lot worse than it was going to be, preparing for the worst. We’ll see if things change when the movie comes out. Hopefully it won’t, hopefully things will stay the same. I like my privacy. It’s not like I don’t leave the house. I just like kind of being able to do normal things. I like being able to go to a farmers market or a gym or a grocery store, you know what I mean?
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. They’re so picky, and you just want to make sure they’re happy, because without them, we don’t make these movies.
And now 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. It’s OK. I mean, I don’t know. There are certain things that you struggle with, and then you have to stop yourself and say, “Wait a minute, but Chris, this really is such an insignificant obstacle, let’s not make a meal out of it.” So reprising the role is no problem, it’s no problem. Loving every second 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 cliché 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.
Now that you’ve bought a home in Boston, how much time do you still have to spend in L.A.?
Well, none if I don’t want to. It’s up to me how much I want to pursue becoming a giant movie star. Some actors, they finish working and they get right back to the grind of finding their next gig. I don’t know if I’ll be that driven to find the next job right away. As soon as we finish Avengers, I’ll probably go back to Boston for a while.
