Chris Evans “Captain America” Interview For Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’

Marvel’s ‘The Avengers,’ the Superhero team-up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Superheroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Directed by Joss Whedon, ‘The Avengers’ (‘Avengers Assemble’ in the UK) stars Chris Evans (Captain America/Steve Rogers), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye/Clint Barton), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man/Tony Stark), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki). Cobie Smulders, Clark Gregg, and Stellen Skarsgard co-star.  ‘The Avengers’ is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series of the same name. Look out for the film in cinemas April 26th in the UK and May 4th in the US.

How was it for you playing Steve Rogers/Captain America in modern-day? He has a difficult time adjusting to the modern-day world, he’s a bit fish-out-of-water in ‘The Avengers.’

Chris Evans: I love the character, Steve Rogers, he’s everything I wish I could be as a man, you know? Big parts of Steve Rogers are his good nature, high morals and strong values. Those morals and values were created in a time when people treated each other differently. The level of interaction was a bit deeper, you know? Everything feels one step apart with all of the technology we have now. A lot of the things that he believed in, stood for and loved have changed. They’re not gone….they’re just different. He’s trying to find his footing in a modern world.

Steve Rogers, he’s good for the sake of good, and that’s a fun character to try to portray. The world around him is a different place. He’s from a different era and I think that era really defines who is. I think the modern-day is a bit more flash and stylish, it’s a bit more selfish, a bit more impersonal. There’s a lot of technologies that put blocks between people. In the 40s there’s maybe a bit more of a direct, honest, sincerity to the way people behaved. I think human interaction breeds manners. It’s a world Steve Rogers isn’t quite accustomed to, it’s a different world that he has to get used to. I think with ‘The Avengers,’ even more than in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger,’ Steve Rogers has some issues, some conflicts and some trouble with the fact that he is a man out of time. But he puts that second and the mission first. He’s selfless.

Despite being faced with the harsh realities that come with being unconscious for 70 years, the mission contains one element of Steve Rogers’ past that he’s all too familiar with – the power of Tesseract.

Chris Evans: Yeah, it’s not just that Captain America wakes up in a whole new world, it’s the fact that he has to deal with the emotions of finding out that everybody he knows is dead. Every single person he called brother on a battlefield is gone and the world around him is a different place. Waking up in modern day is just an extremely different way of life that Steve Rogers now has to get used to. I think he would be very hesitant to get back into this world if the content of the mission had been different. There isn’t anyone who has had more direct contact with the Tesseract than Steve Rogers. So even though he’s still adjusting and feeling conflicted with his new life, he’s going to give his all to the mission and help. That’s just typical Steve Rogers, he has some things to work out, but he knows his country, the world needs him and he’s willing to give.

I really enjoyed Steve Rogers/Captain America’s dynamic with Bruce Banner/The Hulk in ‘The Avengers.’

Chris Evans: I think Captain America feels a bit of a kinship with the guy. They’re both saddled with an immense amount of responsibility, they’re both kind of fish-out-of-water. Banner had done a good job of hiding and doing his own thing, then he’s brought back to a place that he didn’t choose to be. He’s adjusting to a foreign environment, just as Steve Rogers/Captain America is. So, I think there are similarities with their characteristics, or to their situation at least. I think for the most part Captain America treats….he’s kind of like a parent in a lot of ways, I think he just looks out for people. Banner is obviously in a sensitive situation, so I think Captain America is doing what he can to make him feel comfortable and adjusted. And Mark Ruffalo, I cant can’t say enough about Mark Ruffalo (laughs), he’s fantastic. He’s one of those actors who really throws himself into it.

What do you think Joss Whedon as writer/director brought to this film?

Chris Evans: Well I think first it’s his understanding of the comic book world, he’s a fan first and foremost. He knows comic books, so it’s not like….there’s never a question in my brain as to whether or not the fanboys will approve of what we are choosing to do. If all of a sudden I’m shooting a gun, you’d think, “Well, would Captain America shoot a machine gun? If Joss said it’s OK, then it’s OK.” Because he is that demographic. Also, secondly it’s his passion. It’s a tricky task to bring all of these characters together, it’s a tall order. You couldn’t do this movie if you didn’t absolutely love this genre, you know? You couldn’t have a director, talented as you want to find one, if they wasn’t in love with this style of filming, comic book characters, crazy sets, super powers, things like that. Joss really eats it all up.

I truly thought this ensemble cast worked so well together, how was that for you on set with everyone, in these iconic roles?

Chris Evans: It’s so nice that as The Avengers are finding their niche as a group, so were we as people. And it’s great, so far it has been a very healthy family, we get on so well, we had such a laugh making this film. It’s almost too good to be true, I should knock on wood because things went so disgustingly well (laughs). It’s almost unbelievable, we get along so well. And one bad apple can spoil the bunch, you have one stick in the mud and it changes the dynamic, but I think everybody in this cast is so fantastic. That really helped that we got along so well.

You shot your first battle scene of ’The Avengers’ production with Robert Downey Jr and Chris Hemsworth in full armour as Iron Man and Thor, right? What was that experience like?

Chris Evans: Oh man! For that scene, we were shooting nights on this beautiful, wooded mountaintop with Iron Man and Thor duking it out. And then being the peacekeeper that he is (laughs), Captain America goes and tries to break them up. This was actually the first time I’d seen Chris Hemsworth walk on set in full costume with the long red cape. And then Robert Downey Jr comes on set in his full Iron Man armour. I remember thinking how much they both embodied their characters in costume. It was such a cool moment for me, standing there next to them both – all of a sudden I felt like my Captain America suit took on new meaning. I felt that I was a part of something much bigger.

I’ve stepped outside of myself more with this character than I ever have before. When we shot our first scene together, I kept thinking about how incredible this experience was. I’ve seen all of the Marvel movies and now I’m just so excited to be a part of Marvel history! I’m so grateful to come on set and join an ensemble like Robert Downey J, Samuel Jackson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Huddleston, Scarlett Johansson, all these guys….it’s been an amazing ride!