Chris Evans covers the latest issue of Variety magazine. This is a pretty big deal for a guy who wants to avoid the spotlight, and he handles it well. The photoshoot is brooding and fits the mood. Chris has a six-picture contract with Marvel. If one counts the two Avengers movies and Chris’ cameo in the second Thor movie, then Chris must do three Captain America movies to fulfill his requirement. That means he has another to film before he’ll be officially released from Marvel acting commitments. I’ve given Chris a hard time lately, but now I get it. Chris wants to move behind the camera. He is tired of acting. His passion is to be in control of the big picture. I wish him luck. Here are some excerpts:
Captain America doesn’t go to the bathroom: “Not to get too graphic, but you’d better hope you’re on a nice schedule in that thing. There are all these zippers and buttons You could fight all day; you’re not getting out of it.”
What Chris really wants to do is direct: “I’ve known for a while I wanted to direct. But (time) never really opens up. There’s another movie to do, there’s another acting job. It just got to a point where I was like, you know what — I have to do this.”
He’s done with acting: “If I’m acting at all, it’s going to be under Marvel contract, or I’m going to be directing. I can’t see myself pursuing acting strictly outside of what I’m contractually obligated to do.”
New directing opportunities: “Without these movies, I wouldn’t be directing. They gave me enough overseas recognition to greenlight a movie. And if I’m speaking extremely candidly, it’s going to continue to do that for as long as the Marvel contract runs.”
Chris is sincerely grateful: “I put everything in 1:30 Train.” But whether that film succeeds or not, he feels confident he’ll get another shot at directing. “That’s not a luxury that most people are afforded.”
His favorite performance was Puncture: “No one sees my good little movies, man.”
Portraying Captain America: “It’s tricky, because he’s a Boy Scout. His main goal in life is to put his own interests last. He doesn’t have a brooding side. He’s not Bruce Wayne or Wolverine.”
The sequel was more physical: “They make him much more bad-ass in terms of his fighting style. I always wanted to see why Captain America was on this team of Avengers. He’s got to have a reason — he can’t just be really fast and punch really hard. Now, he’s much more aggressive, and he looks more lethal.”
He still dislikes press conferences: “You’re standing in a room with hundreds of people looking at you, waiting for you to slip up. It’s an awkward sensation.”
The challenges of fame: “Fame is a funny thing. I like doing normal things. I like going to fairs, I like going to ball games, I like going to Disney World, or a big field on the Fourth of July and having picnics with friends. The problem is, you’re either worried you’re going to be recognized or you’re thankful you’re not. It’s always there. I miss that not being in my head.”
When is Chris done as Cap? “That’s a good question. We can do this out loud. (‘Avengers 2’) will shoot till August. I wouldn’t be surprised if for all of 2015, we didn’t do a movie. I bet by 2017, I’ll be done.” He lets out a grunt. “That sounds so far away.”
He’s still indecisive: “For all I know, in five years, I might say, ‘Sh-t, I miss acting.’ Right now, I just want to get behind the camera and make movies. We are turning a corner.”
[From Variety]
… And that’s all he wrote. I have to give Chris credit on this interview. He’s not dancing around the topic and appearing ungrateful. He lays it all on the line. Chris Evans appreciates what the Captain America franchise has done for him, but he’s ready to step out of the spotlight. These answers seem more sincere than anything we’ve heard from him on the topic. What’s interesting is all of those rumors about Chris being replaced as Cap were accurate. The timing was a bit off, but I suspect Chris and Marvel had already had discussions on the matter before he went off the rails in interviews.
I will miss the famed Cap ass but I also welcome the new Cap ass overlord, a.k.a., “Sebastian Stan.” The handoff should be fun!
Photos courtesy of Variety
I have had an inexplicable crush on him ever since I found out he was so neurotic.
And neurotic he is. I understand that he wants to move out of the spotlight, but it seems that he has some issues to deal with as well.
I think he enjoys the performing and the process of making movies, he just doesn’t like the movie star part of it. It makes sense he can shift his attention to directing to stay in that world and shove someone else into the promotional spotlight.
Me too, sister. Never loved him until I found out how crazy, anxious, and insecure he is.
God help us both.
Add me to the list. Love the guy.
Am I the only one who doesn’t see this neuroticism? Or am I just so similarly afflicted that I think he’s normal? 😉 If I were to suddenly find my self super-famous, I would be saying the exact same things he’s said, and it’d come off as “ungrateful,” when in reality it would be more like, “wtf stop this crazy train I want off! Everyone stop looking at me!”
Lolo,
I’m with you. His complaints seem legit and extremely normal.
I think celebs get a bad rap as so many people forget they are still human beings under all that fame. And fame sounds, awful. But a necessary evil sometimes.
I think we’re just so used to narcissistic movie stars that it seems strange and unusual when somebody is a little uncomfortable with the whole MEGA MOVIE STAR! thing
Glad to know I’m not alone in my feels! It really makes you think about the kind of pressure that such an identity puts on you. Some revel in it, some balk, some break. It also makes me look at disasters like Lohan in a new light. I saw a quote from the new oprah thing, where she mentioned her subconscious being sometimes triggered to sabotage herself, and now that really makes more sense to me. She might not have it together enough to consciously bow out of the scene, like Evans is doing.
Girl….go home and take a nap, you sound perma cranky now…and UN-Fun
good luck for youur future career!
Is he really sure though? I mean, what if his directorial debut sucks? Is a massive bomb? Does he look silly if he changes his mind? Careful Chris, show, don’t tell.
I really hope the press is making a bigger deal out of this than he is because seriously, who cares? Other than Captain America (maybe) there is not a single role he’s done that Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, or probably Chris Pratt couldn’t do instead (and that’s just the other guys named “Chris”). Good luck to him but…well, we will see.
Exactly! Why is he talking that open? It will bite him in the ass. Chances are that he’s not that much into directing as he thinks he is or that he misses the attention that comes along with acting. And then he looks indeed like an idiot.
Well, at the end of the interview, he did say that he might miss acting in the future, but right now he wants to direct. A lot of actors want to direct, hence the famous “but what I really want to do is direct” line. Anyways, he might be great at it, he might suck, he might miss acting, etc.
I agree with show don’t tell. If that’s what he wants to do that’s great, but it would probably be wise to not talk too much about it right now.
Eh, he’ll be fine. If he’s tired of acting he’s tired of acting. If his directing stuff bombs, so what. He’ll have acting to get back into. He didn’t say anything dissing anyone about his acting- since it’s on him. He’s had success in other things than Marvel. Does no one remember him in Not Another Teen Movie? Come onnnn hahaha
Actually, I’m amazed by how much i liked him as Johnny Storm. I went to see FF because of Johnny Storm, and I HATE Johnny Storm and all the frat boys like him. But Evans made that character work.
I love you Chris but as soon as your little directing debut bomb you”ll be back in front of the camera again. I think it’s the anxiety talking. The hard part is over which was the filming and preparation for the movie. But I think it’s the press tours that get to him and makes him say stuff like this.
But if he truly wants to retire I wish him luck. I’m sure Marvel is growing tired of his whiny ass and was probably considering replacing him anyways. RDJ is the one they can’t afford to lose at this time. I’m all for Sebastian Stan becoming the new Captain, is anybody else down with that?
I was just about to say that–he’s starting to sound like a whiny actress–hahaha. Jesus–how hard is it to say that you want to focus on things behind the camera, and hopefully you won’t need to take any acting roles??? That’s what I’d be saying if I was him. You would all hate me, because I’d be trying to explain everything, during an interview, like you were all slow (well, you’ve read my posts, right? 🙂 )
Lol. Spot on though 😉
Stan IS going to be the new Captain America. Captain America dies in the Civil War arc and Bucky takes the mantle as the new Captain America (it’s all in the comics, bby). That’s why he signed a nine picture deal.
😉
i can’t believe there’ll be at least 8 more superhero movies I’ll have to ignore.
Please stay out of them. You’ll ruin it for long standing fans such as myself with your sighing and inability to connect one character from the next!
Okay, who is he again? Haven’t we read this all before? Hello Joaquin Phoenix, Cher, Shia LaBeouf, Jay Z, Brad Pitt and the like, still here and annoying us all.
Chris Evans craved life in the lime light and hit every ‘casting couch’ to get fame. I am just not buying this. Wait until he says ‘Don’t you know who I am’ and the maître d’ responds ‘No’
In his slight defense he wanted to act without the notoriety according to him. He wanted to be able to walk down the street and not be noticed.
Obscurity + “that” Captain America outfit = Not gonna happen my friend!
^What V4Real said.
@ Secret Squirrel-True, but I think it’s probably a bit more complex than that.
The Captain America role is going to bring him a ton of notoriety and exposure–a great stepping stone for his acting career, but it’ll also plunge him face-first into the limelight.
You can’t have one without the other unfortunately, but what decision would you make? I’d probably take it because I want to make a career for myself.
Frankly, I don’t know why people always get mad at actors for express gratitude for getting a high-profile acting role, but also feeling frustrated with the sudden loss of privacy. That seems like a pretty human reaction to me–I’d feel the same way.
The entertainment profession is so unique in that sense–you really can’t make career decisions without thinking of how it will affect your private life- the two are completely intertwined and that can’t be easy.
I agree with Kitten. Not every actor goes into it thinking, I want to be the most famous person in the world someday. Some of them truly love acting and just want to make enough money that they can call it a career and don’t have to do something else on the side. And so of course, when a great director calls or a great role comes up, they’re going to jump — even though it means they’ll be more recognizable afterward. Doesn’t mean they’re going to enjoy losing their privacy, and it’s silly that we expect them to be so gracious and accepting of it.
Gotta agree with what V4Real and TheOriginalKitten said.
Come home and take a break, dear!
Run him a bubble bath, make him some homemade soup and tuck him into bed with a handful of Captain America-free Marvel comics and I’m sure you will have a smile on his face in no time!
Speaking of bubble bath I read a cute little interview with Robert Downey Jr in the same Variety issue that Chris is on the cover of. He said that when he first met Chris it was before all this Marvel stuff. They happen to all be at the same dinner and Chris was with some hot girl he was dating at the time. Chris invited Robert and his wife Susan back to their place to get in the jaccuzi.
I guess that will explain this.
https://www.facebook.com/robertdowneyjr/…/275431352625337:0Cached
Squirrel–quite telling everyone what I’m going to do to Liam once you drag him over to place (except the comic book part–his hands will be rather busy once I get him tucked into my tiny twin bed–it’s going to be a snug fit 😉 )!!!
@V4Real, I think rdj was just joking. He said he has a vague memory of it and when the interviewer followed up on the question, he said reiterated that it was a vague memory, but “that’s what I’d like for you to print.”
@Shay I know I just didn’t write all of what he said. I was just creating a little joke there that’s why I added the photoshop pic of Chris and RDJ from R’s FB page. That’s not real either.
Well, Secret Squirrel, the bubble bath will be ready. Tickets for Red Sox opening day (ring ceremony!) and the Marathon Monday game on hand, so he’ll get to go to those ball games he wants to see so much. As for that sitting in a field bit, the area he grew up in has deer and deers have deer ticks and deer ticks spread Lyme disease, so we’ll skip that field for hanging out on Boston Common near his apartment instead. His friend Tom is still doing his Coriolanus exercise program on the stairs, in preparation now for that nude-sunbathing scene in High Rise, so Chris will have someone to share a beer with. No comic books to read though. Instead, since he donates to high school theater groups around here, I’ll collect some scripts for musical theater and he can direct some kids in a play.
I guess he thinks he’s the next Redford to be making statements like this? I mean he may turn out to be a good director, but his profile is not THAT high to guarantee anyone will show up for his first movie if it’s anything less than stellar. Can’t decide if he’s brave or stupid.
This is hardly surprising given his discontent in the whole Marvel machine. His heart hasn’t been in it for a while now. I wish him luck if directing is what he truly wants to do. And no, I won’t laugh at him if it goes t!ts up on his directorial debut. It’s hard to get it right the first time out of the blocks. Persistence is the key and keep taking those opportunities when they come up.
Much respect to him. He seems a thoughful man, not a diva, responsible, and unhappy with fame. I have loved him as Cap, a truly challenging role in not coming across in a sappy manner. He says he has the chance to follow his dream and he’s taking it. He’s lucky and he knows it. And even he doesn’t know how it all will turn out, but he’s striking while the iron is hot. What’s not to like?
Maybe you get it now, cause you actually read the interview, as opposed to the glamour uk one. Throwing out a playful side-eye at you, bedhead. 🙂
His Thor cameo didn’t count one of the six, so he still has three more to do – avengers 2, cap 3, and avengers 3.
The only other movie he’s done that I recognize is the Fantastic Four series as the Human Torch. CE’s recognition is based on his wearing spandex for a movie role. He wasn’t getting magazine covers when he was doing non-CBMs. And playing a superhero is no proof he would be a competent director. Marvel must really love its actors making headlines this way, especially with a movie coming out. Remember, don’t let your mouth write checks that your butt can’t cash. If public comments put off moviegoers and hurt the box office, studios are going to remember that in the next round of casting for a movie. That goes for you too, ScarJo, no matter what you say.
Beautifully said!
+1,000!
While I do truly wish him luck with his directing career, I wish he’d not talk it up so much and just (hopefully) surprise everyone with the results rather than talk about how badly he wants to do this. Don’t burn your (acting) bridges etc and let your work speak for itself, yadda yadda yadda. You would think someone who comes across so neurotic would try not to put so much pressure on himself?
I didn’t recognize him at all on the cover. I’m in the minority.. but I am so OVER all the superhero franchises. Now we have to look forward to years of reboots to keep them all going. I have never paid to see any of them in theater.
@lisa2 – I agree about the overload of superhero movies….ENOUGH!
If you R talking about the DC movies I agree.
Marvel comics, never bore, never enough.
Yes, enough for me too……
I’m with you, Lisa2.
I like the first photo a lot, he looks handsome, the composition and the lighting is superb. The second photo made me cringe, (what’s that German word again for second hand embarrassment?) He is so shamelessly flexing his muscles, that the vanity is SCREAMING through the lens. Don’t be so obvious, dude, we know you work out.
Fremdschämen (which is to feel ashamed for someone, or on one’s behalf);
Schadenfreude (my favourite, by the way) is when you secretly enjoy someone else’s embarrassment/misfortune.
@kiddo-Yeah it’s pretty bad…dude has nice arms though.
Hey! I’ve been looking for you, Eve 🙂
I wanted to show you my new addition. Click on me to see my new kitten friend.
Thanks and yep, schadenfreude is one of my favorite words too.
@ O’Kitten:
I already saw him! So cute! But I hope you adopted him (not Taylow-Swifted him). There are too many cats needing homes in the world. By the way, loved the “Claire Danes crying face”. That is EXACTLY the face she makes.
Oh, and you’ll probably find me on Joel Kinnaman threads from now on (saw RoboCop’s remake, love him, want to have his RoboBabies).
@Eve-I’ve had a crush on Kinnaman since The Killing.
Have you seen the show?
Not yet — because that’s just my luck, you see: when I start crushing on an actor, the tv channel that used to air it (A&E here in Brazil) stops doing so!!!
Now…back. the. f*ck. off.
@TheOriginalKitten, OMG, those cats are both hilarious and adorable. You should start a youtube channel for them. Maybe you’ll make it rich.
@Eve,
I’m going risk getting shanked but I do feel the need, Your Awesomeness, to be honest.
Gurl, if you love Joel now, why the hate for Swedish Americans???
*gives Eve the side eye*
*runs and hides in garden shed while calling in the Bumble Bee Brigade and the Thistle Army*
**ETA**
*decides to also call in the Cocklebur Calvary just for safe measure*
*ponders other defensive wildlife to use against any and all shankings*
@ LadyS:
Hey, where did I ever say I hated Swedish Americans? — I just never felt attracted to them up until now! The only Swede I actually dislike is Alexander Skaaaaaaaaaaaaarsgard.
Plus, his (Kinnaman) mother is Jewish — which means that, with luck, he’s circumcised, baby! (which happens to be my personal preference, you see — and I hope phone-throwing Russell Crowe isn’t listening to this).
But go on, keep questioning my awesomeness and you’ll get a taste of my shank’s blades (only have two now because I gave most of them to Fanty, but those bitches work just fine).
P.S.: Sixer didn’t save from myself so I ended up watching RoboCop a third time. And I’m not even ashamed.
He’s D E L I C I O U S in it.
The cover shot is hot. The second shot looks like an out of work actors headshot – “look! I can be serious and have big guns!”.
He really does need to dial it down. We get it, fame is a cross to bear, you want to direct( remember Mel Gibson’s joke after he won Best Director Oscar-“I have always wanted to act”?- now, that was funny. Anyway, be careful what you wish for!
Why hasnt he left yet?
Im a BIG Marvel fan, he doesnt do the brand good with all his talking..Being Torch and CaptainA.
so BYE!!
And here he goes again…
Dear Chris, you are handsome and you seem nice… But this could bite you in the arse in the future… Silly move…
I want to grab him by the shoulders and tell him I saw and loved Puncture. I’m going to miss his awkwardness and sass in CM interviews.
Puncture was a great movie and probably the best performance of his to date (he’s great as Captain America too). I loved that movie, and also, did you see Sunshine? A seriously underrated sci-fi treasure.
I actually only saw parts of Sunshine but it’s been on my to watch list forever. I guess since he’s retiring I’ll have to binge watch all his smaller stuff. And I’m so glad someone else saw that movie! It’s definitely my favorite of his along with Captain America and NATM.
OMG THAT PICTURE. I want to hit dat Cap ass like a home run. Sorry, but… I just have to say it. My mouth literally started watering when I saw that cover photo. I don’t care about his whining and neuroses. I just don’t. I’m that shallow, and I’m fine with it.
He is not even good actor. Good luck as director!
I haven’t seen him in that many films but I thought he was excellent in Sunshine. For me he stole the show.
I’ve not seen a single one of this guy’s films, so no loss for me.
He’s likable enough in this interview, but I question the wisdom of the announcement. Even if his directorial debut is successful, he may very well want to go back to acting someday. I think it would at least make sense to wait until his Marvel tenure is done to state something so firmly.
I think people sometimes make announcements to hold their own feet to the flame to proceed forward. Know what I mean? I’ve done that. It makes you immediately remove reliance from whatever you were doing before. Plenty of actors and actresses have quit and then changed their minds. I’ve never seen him in a film so I can’t say if the fans would welcome him back or not.
I can understand that, and I think don’t think fans will hold the retirement against him. He’s hardly the first actor to have announced retirement only to backtrack later on. I just think it has the potential to make him a little foolish, especially if he ends up wanting to star in his own project.
Lots of actors act simply to afford being able to direct their pet projects. Not a bad gig; I wouldn’t burn too many bridges if I were him.
Another popular option is to star in your own movie. My understanding is that George Clooney and Ben Afflect aren’t so much directing films to create good roles for themselves as they’re casting themselves in their movies because they know they can get at least one star who’s available to work and whose contract negotiations aren’t going to be difficult.
Afflect casts his brother, friends, and local actors (when he films back home) too.
I knew he cast Casey (and why wouldn’t he, Casey’s a good actor and comes with the same upsides as casting himself), but I didn’t know he cast local actors for his Boston films. I like that idea.
I was kind of sick of him for awhile, but I’ve been surprised how much I’ve enjoyed him during the director-actor phase of his career.
I firmly believe that it’s because he wants to live a bigamist life with me and liliacflowers.
In all seriousness I can see him going into a directors role and being good at it. I just have a feeling this won’t be the end of him
ZsaZsa, dear sister-wife, we need to work out a schedule.
Good riddance!
Problem with Chris Evans is that without Captain America he is C-list actor. He is not even b-list. He has no career outside of Marvel. His movies will just go straight to dvd. When he was young and fresh up and coming actor he got lucky to be in few noticeable movies like Fantastic Four and Sunshine. Then his career kind of went nowhere and stopped. . Then he got incredibly lucky when Marvel chose him to be Captain America. Without it he would forgotten by now.
With people like Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans I really don’t understand. No one forced them to go to audition for Thor and Captain. They wanted it, they begged for it and they were very lucky to get it. They did 3 movies and suddenly they are tired of it, they don’t want to do it and they whine and whine in press how they can’t wait till it will be over and how cruel Marvel made them sign on so many movies. This is so ungrateful. And the most sad part is that they are really nobody without those characters and will just vanish after they will be done with it.
And the world heaves a collective SIGH. One less bad actor. Now if only Channing Tatum would get the memo.
Channing is a screenwriter now, don’t ya know?
Good luck to him and his future endeavors.
How about we not e’en do Captain America 3, and he goes away now?