Chris Evans is an iconic household name in acting with lots of big box office films on his belt. The 41-year-old actor rose to fame for portraying the iconic Marvel character Human Torch in The Fantastic Four franchise before making his gaining wider recognition as Steve Roger / Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe - at least until he bid good bye in Avengers: Endgame in 2019. He, then, became one of the world's top, handsomely-paid actors according to Forbes, and it's for a justifiably right reason.
However, with that being said, there is more to be said about Evans than just his role as a superhero. A versatile entertainer of his kind, Evans has a rich acting portfolio that spawns from romantic drama, action, thriller, to even directing. Here's a look into his life and career outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and what's next for the big blockbuster actor.
8 Chris Evans' Appeared In A Few Teen Films Back In The Early 2000s
After graduating from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in the late 1990s, Chris Evans moved to LA to chase his dream as an actor. Before he was Steve Rogers, he starred in several teen films back in the days, including Joe Gallen's parody Not Another Teen Movie. Despite its lackluster critical performance, the film grossed over $66 million the box office.
7 Chris Evans Made His Lead Role Debut In The Perfect Score
However, it wasn't until 2004 when Chris Evans landed his debut lead role in The Perfect Score. Directed by Brian Robbins, the teen-heist flick tells the story of a group of New Jersey high schoolers who attempt into breaking into an ETS office and steal the answers to their upcoming SAT exam. Interestingly, he performed alongside his future Marvel co-star Scarlett Johansson in this film, which grossed over $10 million in the box office.
6 Chris Evans Ventured As A Director In 2014
What happens when two strangers are stuck in Manhattan, New York, for one night? It's the premise of Chris Evans' directorial debut, Before We Go, in 2014. Unfortunately, however, the film critically and commercially tanked. It barely broke even and only had approval ratings of 27% out of 100 on Rotten Tomates. In the same year, however, he still had a fantastic calendar as his second MCU film, The Winter Soldier, was released.
5 Chris Evans Starred In Rian Johnson's Knives Out
In Rian Johnson's Knives Out, Evans plays a spoiled playboy in the dysfunctional world of the Thrombey family amidst the death of a crime novelist. The concept of the film had begun all the way in 2005 but it didn't bear fruit until Johnson penned the script in 2017. It features a plethora of A-listers, including Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Michael Shannon, Katherine Langford, and more. The film's sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, is set to be released in late 2022.
"I don’t even think I let him speak. I think I just kind of was babbling the entire time about what I wanted to do with the role and what I thought I could bring, and please cast me, basically," the actor recalled begging to land his role in the film, adding, "It was just kind of me just pitching him, just begging."
4 Chris Evans Played Andy Barber In An Apple TV+'s Crime Miniseries, Defending Jacob
What happens when a family has to deal with a hefty accusation that their 14-year-old son may be a murderer? In 2020, Chris Evans joined the likes of Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell, Cherry Jones, and more in Apple TV+'s crime drama miniseries adaptation of William Landay's novel Defending Jacob, which answers that question. The series itself was a critical success, amassing an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.
3 Chris Evans' Broadway Debut In 2018
There may be plenty of actors and actresses who kicked off their respective careers on a Broadway stage, but for Chris Evans, his debut came in 2018 when he joined Kenneth Lonergan in his revival of Lobby Hero. Directed by Trip Cullman, the play opened in March at the Helen Hayes Theatre.
2 Chris Evans' Voice Over Work, Including Lightyear In 2022
2022 marked another career milestone for Chris Evans as he became the voice behind the titular hero of Lightyear, which is set around Buzz Lightyear's character from the Toy Story franchise. The animated film is another critical success for the actor, marking his second voice-over venture after Casey Jones in TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) in 2007.
1 What's Next For Chris Evans?
So, what's next for the popular actor? As he approaches his career past the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's up to him to prove that he could escape the big shadow of Captain America and avoid being typecast in the future. As for now, the actor is gearing up for a limited theatrical release of his action thriller The Gray Man in July this year, which had become the most expensive film Netflix had ever produced up to this writing.
