Christopher Robert Evans[2] was born on June 13, 1981,[3] inBoston,Massachusetts,[4] and grew up in the nearby town ofSudbury.[5] His mother, Lisa (née Capuano), is an artistic director at the Concord Youth Theater,[6][7] and his father, Bob, is a dentist.[8] His father is of Irish descent, while his mother is of half Irish and half Italian descent.[9][10][11][12] His parents divorced in 1999.[13]
Evans's first credited appearance was in a shorteducational film titledBiodiversity: Wild About Life! in 1997.[19] In 1999, Evans was the model for "Tyler" inHasbro's board gameMystery Date. The special edition of the game included an electronic phone, which Evans is shown speaking into on the game box.[20]
In September 2000, he moved to Los Angeles and lived in Oakwood Apartments inToluca Lake, a complex where he met fellow young actors.[16] When he recalled of his experience during this time, he said, "You make a lot of strange connections with a lot of thirsty people, but you kind of are one of the thirsty people, too. It was a great time. It really was. It's like the L.A. welcoming committee".[16] In the same year, Evans made his screen debut in a television film,The Newcomers;[21] a family drama in which he plays a boy called Judd who falls in love with a girl (Kate Bosworth).[22] Evans also had a lead role in the television seriesOpposite Sex which lasted for eight episodes.[23] Lastly, Evans acted in an episode ofThe Fugitive titled "Guilt".[24]
In 2001, he starred inNot Another Teen Movie,[25] aparody ofteen movies, in which he plays a high school footballer.[26] The film garnered mainly negative reviews,[27][28] but grossed $38 million domestically and $28 million overseas for a worldwide $66 million.[29]
In 2004, he had a lead role inThe Perfect Score,[30] a teenheist-comedy about a group of students who break into an office to steal answers to theSAT exam. The film was critically panned; Matthew Leyland of theBBC thought Evans' performance was "bland", and the cast had "little chemistry".[31] Also that year, he co-starred in the action-thrillerCellular, withJason Statham,Kim Basinger andWilliam H. Macy. Evans plays college student Ryan, who must save a kidnapped woman (Basinger), after randomly receiving a phone call from her. Although the feature received a mixed response,Slant Magazine's review opined that "Evans proves himself a sufficiently charismatic leading man".[32] In a retrospective interview, Evans remarked that some of his early films were "really terrible".[33]
2005–2010: Breakthrough
In 2005, Evans starred in theindependent dramaFierce People, an adaptation ofDirk Wittenborn's 2002 novel of the same name.[34] He also starred inLondon (2005), a romantic drama, in which he played a drug user with relationship problems.[35]London was negatively received by critics;Variety magazine described it as "noxious", and thought Evans' character was the worst,[36] and film critic Roger Ebert called the film "dreck".[37]
For his firstcomic book role, he portrayed superheroJohnny Storm / Human Torch inFantastic Four (2005), based on theMarvel Comic of thesame name. Upon release, the film was a commercial success despite a divided reception.[38] In his mixed review,Joe Leydon ofVariety praised the cast for their efforts and thought Evans gave a "charismatic breakout performance".[39] Two years later, he reprised the role of Johnny Storm / Human Torch in the sequelFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007).[40]Toronto Star's Rob Salem thought the film was a "significant improvement" from the first, and the critic fromChicago Reader thought the cast were "amusing enough" to carry the sequel.[41][42] In 2016, reflecting on his experience of theFantastic Four films, Evans said they left him "a little uneasy – because the movies weren't exactly the way I'd envisioned them".[43]
He voiced the characterCasey Jones in theanimationTMNT (2007), based on theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series. The film was released byWarner Bros. Pictures andThe Weinstein Company, to mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success, grossing $95 million worldwide.[44] Next, he starred inDanny Boyle's science fiction thrillerSunshine (2007), about a group of astronauts on a dangerous mission to reignite the dying sun.[45] It garnered generally favorable reviews; Roger Ebert wrote the cast were "effective ... they almost all play professional astronaut/scientists, and not action-movie heroes".[46] He also had a role in the comedy dramaThe Nanny Diaries (2007), in which he plays the love interest toScarlett Johansson's character.[47] His final release of 2007 wasBattle for Terra, another science fiction animation, about a peaceful alien planet which faces destruction from colonization by a displaced remainder of the human race. It premiered at the2007 Toronto International Film Festival, followed by a wider theatrical release in 2009.[48] Critical reception was largely mixed;review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes gave the film an approval rating of 49% based on 95 critics.[49]
In 2010, Evans appeared inSylvain White'sThe Losers, an adaptation of the comic bookseries of the same name from theDC ComicsimprintVertigo.[55] Evans was drawn to playingCaptain Jake Jensen because the character "doesn't take things too seriously. He's the one that kind of loves life and he's always looking for a joke".[56] Although the film gained mixed reviews,The Guardian's critic praised the cast for their "breezy charm" and for Evans' comic relief.[57] Evans appeared in another comic book adaptation,Edgar Wright'sScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), in which he portrayedLucas Lee, one ofRamona Flowers' seven evil exes.[58] The film was abox-office bomb but received positive reviews from critics and found a second life as acult film.[59][60] He starred inMark Kassen andAdam Kassen's drama,Puncture, which was filmed inHouston, Texas. The film premiered at the 2011Tribeca Film Festival as one of the spotlight projects for the 10th anniversary of the festival.[61] Evans portraysMike Weiss, who was a real-life young lawyer and drug addict. Upon release, critical reception was divided;The A.V. Club critic thought the film "rarely manages to focus on [Weiss]".[62] Next, Evans was cast in the romantic comedyWhat's Your Number? (2011) oppositeAnna Faris, an adaptation ofKaryn Bosnak's book20 Times a Lady.[63] CriticNathan Rabin ofThe A.V. Club gave the film a grade C+, and opined that Evans' and Faris' chemistry was "frisky".[64]
2011–2017: Captain America and directorial debut
In 2010, Evans signed on for a multi-film deal withMarvel Studios, to portray Marvel Comics characterSteve Rogers / Captain America.[65][66] Evans initially turned down the part, but he consulted withRobert Downey Jr., who encouraged him to take the role. At Marvel's persistence, Evans accepted, and he went to see a therapist afterwards.[16][why?] He found the character fun to portray, and added, "I think Marvel is doing a lot of good things right now".[67] The first film to be released wasCaptain America: The First Avenger (2011). The story follows the protagonist who is transformed into the super-soldier Captain America and must stop theRed Skull from using theTesseract as an energy-source for world domination. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning over $370 million worldwide box office.[68] In their positive review,The Sydney Morning Herald thought the film was a "fresh twist on 20th-century history", and praised Evans' "confident-but-subtle treatment" displayed in his role.[69]
Returning to the science fiction genre, Evans was cast inBong Joon-ho'sSnowpiercer (2013), which is based on the French graphic novelLe Transperceneige.[78] Bong was initially reluctant to cast him, but changed his mind after seeing Evans' performances inSunshine andPuncture, which showed a "sensitive" side.[79] The story takes place aboard theSnowpiercer train as it travels around the globe, carrying the last members of humanity after a failed attempt atclimate engineering to stopglobal warming. The film was critically acclaimed, with the critic fromSalon magazine describing the cast performances as "sensational".[80]Snowpiercer appeared in several lists of best films of 2014, includingThe Guardian's classics of modernSouth Korean cinema.[81]
In 2014, Evans starred inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier,[82] the sequel toCaptain America: The First Avenger. In the film, Captain America joins forces withBlack Widow andFalcon to uncover a conspiracy within the spy agencyS.H.I.E.L.D. while facing an assassin known as theWinter Soldier. Principal photography began in August 2013;[83] Evans prepared by undertaking three months of strength training and learning all the fight sequences.[84][85] Similarly to the first film, it was well received and a commercial success, grossing $714 million worldwide.[86] Peter Howell ofToronto Star thought Evans was "impressive" for bringing the comic book character to life, despite the plot being "a little too complicated".[87] Evans has saidThe Winter Soldier was his favorite Marvel film because he started to understand his character and enjoyed working with directorsAnthony and Joe Russo.[88]
In March 2014, Evans said he may consider doing less acting so that he can focus on directing.[89][90] In the same year, he made his directorial debut in the romantic comedyBefore We Go, in which he also starred, oppositeAlice Eve. The film tells the story of two strangers who meet atGrand Central Terminal, and form an unlikely bond overnight. It premiered at the2014 Toronto International Film Festival;[91]The New York Times critic, Ben Keninsberg, opined that it was a moderate effort and the actors' chemistry made it watchable.[92] In the same year, he starred in another romantic comedy, oppositeMichelle Monaghan inPlaying It Cool.[93] The following year, he played Captain America again inAvengers: Age of Ultron, the sequel to 2012'sThe Avengers.[94] In 2016, he reprised the role inCaptain America: Civil War, the sequel toCaptain America: The Winter Soldier.[95] Both of these films were box office hits, grossing $1.4 billion and $1.1 billion worldwide, respectively.[96][97]The Hollywood Reporter later learned that his salary forCivil War was $15 million.[98]
Evans starred in the family dramaGifted in 2017, about anintellectually gifted seven-year-old who becomes the subject of a custody battle between her uncle (Evans) and grandmother (Lindsay Duncan). Although set in Florida, filming took place in Georgia to take advantage of the state's financial incentive of $3 million.[99] The film received a favorable response;Empire magazine opined that Evans played his part with "conviction" despite a predictable plot.[100] In the same year, he was invited to join theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[101]
2018–present:Avengers films and beyond
In 2018, he starred in the sequelAvengers: Infinity War, and in spring 2019, the fourth sequelAvengers: Endgame.[102] Both of these were directed by Anthony and Joe Russo; they had intended to film them simultaneously but scrapped the idea due to complexities.[103] Evans admitted that he and Scarlett Johansson did not see the full script toAvengers: Infinity War before filming, saying, "We had to fight to get an actual paper script. There were giving us either pages or bits on an iPad. It's been tricky."[83] WhileUSA Today opined that Evans and co-star Chris Hemsworth were a "blast to watch" inAvengers: Infinity War,[104] the reviewer fromTime magazine criticized the film for its lack of pacing and substance.[105] WhenAvengers: Endgame completed filming in October 2018, Evans explained that it was emotional: "For the last month of filming I was letting myself go to work every day and be a little overwhelmed and a little nostalgic and grateful. By the last day, I was bawling. I cry pretty easy, but I was definitely bawling."[106] The fourth sequel grossed $2.7 billion worldwide,[107] and the filmmakers were praised byThe Telegraph'sRobbie Collin for creating one of the most entertaining films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[108]
Evans in 2023
Evans made hisBroadway debut in the playLobby Hero, directed by Trip Cullman, which opened in March 2018 at theHelen Hayes Theatre as a part ofSecond Stage Theatre's first Broadway season.[109]Ben Brantley ofThe New York Times labeled it a "terrific Broadway debut" and found his performance to be a "marvel of smooth calculation and bluster".[110] Evans was nominated for aDrama League Award.[111] In 2019, Evans played an IsraeliMossad agent in theNetflix thrillerThe Red Sea Diving Resort,[112] loosely based on the events ofOperation Moses andOperation Joshua in 1984–85. Frank Scheck ofThe Hollywood Reporter gave the film a mixed review; he thought Evans gave a "sincere" performance, despite observing weaknesses in the film's pacing and tone.[113] Later that year, he starred as Ransom Drysdale, a spoiled playboy, inRian Johnson's mystery filmKnives Out,[114] which received critical acclaim and grossed $309 million worldwide.[115][116] InNPR,Linda Holmes wrote of Evans's performance: "it's a special treat to see him tear right into this rich-brat bit, both preternaturally handsome and cheerfully obnoxious, a one-man cable-knit charm offensive."[117]
Evans has identified withBuddhism.[135][136] However, he does not describe himself as a Buddhist, saying he followsEastern philosophies more generally, includingTaoism, describing them as "about maintaining a certain level of presence, acknowledging that your ego is probably not your friend, and refusing to be ruled by what has happened or what will happen."[137] He has also said that "it's just the dogma that separates these religions", and that "I’m not going to get caught up in that."[138] He appeared onOprah's Book Club, where he askedEckhart Tolle a question and revealed that he has a tattoo of one of Tolle's quotes.[139]
Evans is a supporter of Christopher's Haven, a charity providing housing to families affected bychildhood cancer, and has taken part in fundraisers to benefit the organization.[156] In 2015, he and actorChris Pratt visited patients in theSeattle Children's Hospital after the two made a bet that eventually raised donations for the hospital as well as Christopher's Haven.[157] In May 2020, Evans organized a virtual fundraiser involving hisAvengers co-stars to benefit the organizationsFeeding America,Meals on Wheels,World Central Kitchen, andNo Kid Hungry.[158] The following year, he won $80,000 for Christopher's Haven by placing third in a charity fantasy football tournament with hisAvengers co-stars.[159]
^Marotta, Terry (July 19, 2007)."Grease is the word". Gatehouse News Service via Wicked Local Sudbury.Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. RetrievedJuly 19, 2010.
^abKeck, William (September 9, 2004)."Chris Evans' career ready to sizzle".USA Today.Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. RetrievedDecember 10, 2007.... Evans' siblings, Scott, Carly and Shanna. ...[parents] Bob, a dentist, and Lisa, a dancer...
^Evans in"Sunshine – Chris Evans interview". IndieLondon.co.uk.Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. RetrievedJune 8, 2009.Well my family is Italian and I grew up in the Catholic Church...
^Menon, Serena (April 14, 2012)."I'm just an Eastern philosophy kind of guy: Chris Evans".Hindustan Times.At the age of 16 or 17, Evans began reading up and speaking to people about the philosophy, only to realise his calling. "There was a whole religion that felt the way I was feeling. That's when I thought, 'Wow, I think I'm a Buddhist'. But even in India you realise that Buddhism, Daoism and Hinduism are very similar. It's just the dogma that separates these religions. And I'm not going to get caught up in that. I'm just more of an Eastern philosophy kind of guy," says the actor, adding that, "The brain is a noisy place and all this is just to quiet it down. It's certainly helpful to me while I'm on the sets."
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