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Was Chris Evans A Superhero Growing Up?

5:05·By Gemma G
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About this video

Now he's Captain America, but what was Chris Evans like as a youngster? We explore his past to learn how he went from theater camp to winning a "Male Superstar of Tomorrow" Award and to finally latching on to one of the most iconic superhero roles. Hosted by Nikki Novak.

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Key Moments (5)

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Full Transcript

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Young Hollywood

Do you want me to come as a buffer?

Chris Evans

I mean, you could, yeah. Or a fluffer. No, I shouldn't even say that. Sorry.

Young Hollywood

You, you know, I got to be honest, initially when you said it, that's where my brain went, but I was like, she said buffer. I knew it. She said buffer, not fluffer. I knew it. Not fluffer.

Young Hollywood

Everyone, Nikki No here, hanging out in the Young Hollywood studios with Chris Evans. How's it going?

Chris Evans

It's going well. How are you?

Young Hollywood

I'm good. You've been recognized in the past, you've gotten an award a couple of years ago for being the superstar of tomorrow. You remember that?

Chris Evans

Yeah, which was like seven years ago.

Young Hollywood

Yeah, but don't you love the foresight? I guess. If seven years counts as tomorrow. Superstar of tomorrow, is that a lot of pressure for you?

Chris Evans

I guess, yeah. Kind of like, you know, I wonder if they give a biggest letdown next year? We'll see, right? The You're Award. All right, my mom has it. She does.

Young Hollywood

You aren't going to polish it and put it on your mantle and do all that.

Chris Evans

My mother won't let me hang on to anything. She wants it all. She does.

Young Hollywood

Is she proud? Oh, come on. It's yours, not I mean, I could crapped on the back. She's like

Young Hollywood

So, how long did it actually take you then to to transition? I mean, from the time that you started to reaching like success? Cuz I feel like it kind of came early for you.

Chris Evans

The summer of my junior going into senior year, I moved to New York City and I got an internship at a casting office. I wrote 50 letters to casting offices, just saying, listen, I'm 17, I'm just looking to learn and I'll get you coffee, I'll do it for free. My phone is vibrating in my pocket. You may hear it. Let me turn it off. Uh so I wrote, I wrote back to these places or these places wrote me.

Young Hollywood

Is this anybody good? You want to find out?

Chris Evans

Yeah, want to find out. No, it's my sister. That's not

Young Hollywood

You can't say on camera that's bad.

Chris Evans

That's my sister. Yes.

Young Hollywood

I'm impressed that you're a BlackBerry boy cuz I'm a BlackBerry girl. I cannot type on iPhone. I can't do the iPod. I know. Or the iPhone, yeah. I just, I don't know. I don't know.

Chris Evans

I started on the BlackBerry and I just hate learning new technologies.

Young Hollywood

Well, then we're a match made in heaven because I'm brutal. Should we just get out of here?

Chris Evans

Well, this is why I brought you on the couch.

Young Hollywood

Isn't this the typical interview? And we're Captain America out the set. It's not normally red, white, and blue, you know. And I'm wearing the blue. It's normally beige in here. Oh, this is Oh, oh. I'm messing with you. It's always like this. First of all, I love the movie. Thank you. And I was like, I was so loving when you were the skinny Captain America. The little dude. I love the little dude. I love the underdog. Were you ever like that?

Chris Evans

Oh my God, I wish I had pictures. Yeah, I was a pretty little dude until I was 17.

Young Hollywood

I don't believe it. Somehow I don't believe it. Okay. But really don't. Okay. Did you like, did you have a hard time with chicks when you were in high school? You did.

Chris Evans

It's not just the size, it's everything. The clothing, the hair, the teeth.

Young Hollywood

So were you a nerd or did people like, were you popular? Were you

Chris Evans

Um, I mean, I had I had I had friends, but you know, it's I I I did plays. I went to theater camp, you know what I mean? So,

Young Hollywood

That's good. Oh. Friend exactly, a friend maker in high school. Exactly. But I heard you had another nerd moment like when you got into the set of the Avengers.

Chris Evans

Well, it just becomes real in a different way. Yeah. When you see other superheroes and you're like, God, those guys look awesome. I wish I was a part of it. I am a part of this.

Young Hollywood

And everywhere I go in LA, it's like there you are. You really don't like it. I mean, I heard you don't like interviews, but are we

Chris Evans

No, this is We're having a good time. I think this is going okay. It's the couch. It's the couch.

Young Hollywood

So you love being on set and just sort of disappearing into

Chris Evans

Well, yeah, that's the that was set's different. That's, you know, you're acting. You're acting. It's playing somebody else.

Young Hollywood

See, I'm the opposite. I'm happy being me. You should see me act. Really? Okay, give me a line. I'll do I'll do I'll do who's your costar? What's her name? Haley. Oh yeah, yeah. So give me the you're late. You're late. Nobody's perfect.

Chris Evans

Oh, that wasn't bad. That wasn't bad. Cuz you know she says she says that I'm late earlier in the film. Right. Well, in the trailer it's the opposite. No, you're right. You're absolutely right.

Young Hollywood

Now, that was good. And I was waiting for that. Thank you. That was really good. You're late. Nobody's perfect. I think you're doing fine with the interview.

Chris Evans

I think I'm nailing it.

Young Hollywood

I think you are. Going to Comic Con? Yeah. More interviews. Yeah. Woohoo. Do you want me to come as a buffer?

Chris Evans

I mean, you could, yeah. Or a fluffer. No, I shouldn't even say that. Sorry.

Young Hollywood

You, you know, I got to be honest. Initially when you said it, that's where my brain went. But I was like, she said buffer. I knew it. She said buffer, not fluffer. I knew it. Not fluffer. I That's what, why do you think? You can come as both.

Chris Evans

I should.

Young Hollywood

See, that's why I'm a good buffer cuz I'll say it for you. Whatever you're thinking, Thank you. I'll just say it first and then I'll look like the bad guy and you'll look like the good guy. That was good. Okay, never mind. I was going to I was going to I was going to keep going down an avenue we should have avoided like five minutes ago. She's like, keep talking about the fluffer. Basically, that was a wrap it up so you could give me that last dirty line and that's a great way to go out.

Chris Evans

Well, no, I was going to say, what am I thinking right now? But it's there's nothing good can come from that response.

Young Hollywood

What are you thinking right now? Yeah, you said cuz you can. Maybe you should cut it first and we can discuss it. That's exactly it. That's amazing.

Timestamps are approximate — click one to jump the player.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

  • Chris Evans

    Featured guest discussing his career and personal life

  • Nikki Novak

    Host of the interview

  • Haley

    Co-star mentioned by Chris Evans

FAQ

What award did Chris Evans win years ago?+
Chris Evans won a "Male Superstar of Tomorrow" Award a couple of years before this interview.
How did Chris Evans start his career in New York City?+
Chris Evans moved to New York City the summer before his senior year, where he secured an internship at a casting office after sending out 50 letters.
What was Chris Evans like in high school?+
Chris Evans described himself as a "pretty little dude" until he was 17, and he attended theater camp.
Who keeps Chris Evans's awards?+
Chris Evans's mother keeps his awards because she wants them all and won't let him hang on to anything.
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