Chris Evans
Chris Evans is an American actor best known for playing comic book superhero Captain America on the big screen.
Who Is Chris Evans?
Born and raised in the Boston area, Chris Evans landed his first major film role in the spoof Not Another Teen Movie. He played the Human Torch in two Fantastic Four flicks, but it was his
turn as another superhero that propelled him to fame in the enormously successful Captain America and The Avengers blockbusters. Evans also earned acclaim for his performance in the dystopian Snowpiercer, and made a well-received Broadway debut in 2018.
Movies
'Captain America' and 'The Avengers'
In July 2011, Evans joined the burgeoning Marvel Cinematic Universe empire with Captain America: The First Avenger. As Steve Rogers, the scrawny but dutiful serviceman who undergoes a
massive physical transformation to become the titular super soldier, Evans capably displayed the earnestness central to his character, along with the eye-popping physique and
fighting skills requisite for a modern action star.
The First Avenger was just the start of the MCU run for Evans, who joined Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth's Thor and other big-name actors, both in and out of costume, for the
superhero blockbuster The Avengers (2012). Evans went on to headline the sequels of his own Captain America franchise with The Winter Soldier (2014) and Civil War (2016), while also
leading the charge for The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and surfacing in other Marvel features, like Ant-Man (2015) and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Initially reluctant to wield the Captain's shield due to the extended commitment, Evans was ready to move on by the time his contract drew to a close, with Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and a
yet-to-be titled follow-up, scheduled for a 2019 release, expected to be his final performances as America's super solider.
Early Roles: 'Not Another Teen Movie' to 'Cellular'
Evans' first major film role came in Not Another Teen Movie (2001), a spoof of high school dramas like She's All That (1999) and earlier predecessors. As football star Jake Wyler, he
follows the formulaic procedure of accepting a bet to date the nerdy, glasses-wearing girl, delivering a silly highlight by squirting on the whipped cream bikini made famous by Ali Larter in
Varsity Blues (1999).
He followed with another high school comedy, The Perfect Score (2004), as part of a group of students who steal the answers to an SAT exam, and then the action-thriller Cellular (2004), where
he showed his future leading man chops by helping to rescue Kim Basinger from her captors.
'Fantastic Four,' 'Scott Pilgrim' and Other Comic Adaptations
Prior to his star-making turn in Captain America, Evans went the superhero route for Fantastic Four (2005), as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. The film was a commercial success, but a downturn
at the box office for Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), along with another round of largely negative reviews, led to the cancellation of a third installment.
Returning to comic-sourced material, Evans provided voice work for the animated TMNT (2007), as the boyfriend of the Ninja Turtles' colleague, April O'Neil. He later co-starred in the action
comedy The Losers (2010), which drew mixed reviews despite a strong cast, and landed a supporting role in the entertaining Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), as an over-the-top version of
the Hollywood action hero he had become.
Meanwhile, the actor took advantage of the all-American good looks and charm that made him a natural for romantic comedies. He played the "Harvard Hottie" of past and future co-star Scarlett
Johannson in The Nanny Diaries (2007), before becoming the ideal match for Anna Faris in What's Your Number? (2011).
Drama and Sci-Fi: 'London' to 'Sunshine'
Coming off his early teen films, Evans showed he could handle weightier fare with London (2005), as a junkie struggling to get over his ex-girlfriend. He later took on Tennessee Williams in
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (2008), with Bryce Dallas Howard, and portrayed a real-life lawyer and drug addict who goes after the pharmaceutical industry in Puncture (2010).
On the sci-fi front, Evans co-starred in Danny Boyle's little-seen but critically acclaimed Sunshine (2007), as an engineer on a space mission to jumpstart the dying sun. His effort was praised by
its director, who called Evans "a bit of a Mary Poppins — he can pull anything out of the bag." He then played a telekinetic in Push (2009), though his performance was drowned out by a
confusing plot.
'Iceman,' 'Snowpiercer' and 'The Gifted'
Despite his Marvel commitments requiring much of his energy, Evans found the time for other screen projects to his liking. Iceman (2012) gave him the chance to overturn his squeaky-clean
superhero image as a contract killer who assists Michael Shannon's sadistic hitman. Snowpiercer (2013) placed him back in leading man territory, albeit as an antihero in a dystopian future.
The actor made his directing debut with Before We Go, a tepidly received romantic comedy that premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Another rom-com, Playing It Cool
(2015) also failed to make much of a mark, but The Gifted (2017) fared far better, with Evans playing the guardian of a mathematics prodigy.
Evans was next slated to star as an Israeli agent in The Red Sea Diving Resort, based on the real-life rescue and transport of Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 1981.
Net Worth
Evans checks in at a cool $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The bulk of his fortune has come from his Marvel Cinematic involvement, though it took a little while to get there, after reportedly receiving a relatively modest $300,000 for his first Captain America movie.
Romantic Life and Girlfriends
Evans has been involved on an on-and-off relationship with actress Jenny Slate since they got to know one another on the set of The Gifted. The couple spent the 2017 holiday
season together, though they were reported to have split again by the following spring.
Earlier in his career, from 2001 to 2006, Evans was in a long-term relationship with Jessica Biel. He has also been linked to actresses Minka Kelly and Lily Collins.
Outside of his movies, Evans has drawn the most attention for his unapologetically liberal tweets. When Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in 2016, the actor called it an "embarrassing
night" in which fellow Americans "let a bully set our course." He's also tangled with former KKK head David Duke online, and more recently slammed conservative news host Laura Ingraham for
mocking student leaders who sought to curb gun violence. But not all of his tweets are of the politically charged variety, as he frequently pays tribute to friends and professional colleagues, and
posts photos of his beloved rescue boxer, Dodger.
Chris Evans's Height and Workout
At 6 feet tall but naturally slim, Evans has displayed the results of long hours in the gym while progressing from the rangy jock of Not Another Teen Movie, to the beefier Human Torch of
Fantastic Four, to the cartoonishly muscular Captain America. Packing on the pounds was vital to the appearance of his laboratory-enhanced superhero, prompting a training regimen that
included high-weight reps of squats, deadlifts and incline bench presses, as well as bodyweight exercises like dips and pull-ups. By the time of The Winter Soldier, he had incorporated
gymnastics and plyometrics to his routine for more speed and agility, aiding his efforts in such scenes as when he beats up a group of men in a crowded elevator.
Broadway Debut
In March 2018, while awaiting the release of Infinity War, Evans made his Broadway debut in a revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero. As part of a small cast, which included his former
Scott Pilgrim co-star Michael Cera, Evans showcased his easy charm while hinting at the turmoil beneath the confident exterior of his veteran cop, Bill. Although Lobby Hero was scheduled for a limited run,
Evans's well-reviewed performance suggested he would soon make his way back to the stage.
TV Shows
Sent to Los Angeles by his agent in the late 1990s to audition for a show called Get Real (where he met Anne Hathaway), Evans instead wound up with a supporting role on Opposite Sex, alongside Milo
Ventimiglia, as one of the few boys to attend a former all-girls academy. The teen comedy-drama lasted for only eight episodes in the summer of 2000, but still provided vital exposure for its
young stars. Evans went on to make appearances in The Fugitive, Skin and the popular Boston Public. In 2008, with his successful film career well under way, he provided voice work for Adult
Swim's stop-motion series Robot Chicken.
Early Life
Christopher Robert Evans was born on June 13, 1981, in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in the nearby town of Sudbury. While his dad, Robert, provided financial stability as a dentist, Evans
and his three siblings were drawn to the performing arts world of their mother, Lisa, a dancer turned youth theater director. As Evans recalled, "We were like the von Trapps [from The Sound of
Music], all singing and dancing."
A natural athlete, Evans wrestled and played lacrosse at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, when not invested in his school or community theater. He spent the summer before his senior
year of high school interning for a casting company in New York City, making valuable contacts and honing his skills at the Lee Strasberg Institute. Eager to return, the aspiring actor sped
through his senior year to graduate a half semester ahead of his classmates.
Personal Life & Interests
Evans isn't the only member of his family who's made a name for himself: His younger brother Scott also became an actor, holding down a regular role on the soap opera One Life to Live for
two years, while an uncle, Mike Capuano, is a former mayor and longtime Massachusetts congressman.
The Hollywood star has been open about his battles with social anxiety, particularly when it comes to the publicity aspect of his profession. As he told Rolling Stone, "You're in the SUV with
your family, your people. And then you have to pull over in some weird parking lot and do the swap. There’s security and all these people. All of a sudden you’re out of your comfort zone. … It's
the little things that can tip you over."
Evans, who splits his time between Los Angeles and Boston, is a serious sports fan who retains loyalty to hometown teams. In 2014, he narrated the NFL Network's America's Game, which
recounted the New England Patriots' run to a thrilling Super Bowl championship earlier that year.
