The Original Avengers Remember Stan Lee

Avengers: Endgame is right around the corner, and that means fans will see the original six Avengers reunite on the big screen for possibly the last time. Granted, they'll have a few other friends helping out in their battle against Thanos, but the spotlight is really on the original six heroes who helped launch this massive franchise. Unfortunately, we lost famed Marvel creator Stan Lee late last year, and in a new interview with the cast, they all reflect fondly on their interactions with the creator of characters like Spider-Man, Black Panther, the X-Men, and more.

Endgame actors Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, and Jeremy Renner as well as Marvel Studios Cheif Kevin Feige recently sat down with EW to talk all things MCU, and during the conversation, they were asked about any memories or stories they had regarding Lee. Ruffalo went first, though admitted to the group that he had told this story before, saying "I'm going to make this joke again."

Evans said "It's okay, I'll act like I've never heard it. Go!" Ruffalo then launched into his story. "Playing Hulk is like my generation's Hamlet: We're all going to get a chance to do it. [Forced laughter] So I was really nervous about "Would I please him?" I didn't meet him until the premiere of The Avengers," Ruffalo said. "I walked up to him sheepishly, and he's like, "Hey!" and he's like, "You got it, kid!" I was like, "Aww, that's amazing! Thank you, Mr. Lee." Other than Downey and Kevin, I was so nervous over whether he would be happy with what I'd done."

Next up was Downey, who met Lee during Iron Man but his memory is more tied to Captain America: Civil War.

"Yeah, but my mind goes to Civil War, when Rhodey [Don Cheadle's War Machine character] and Tony are having a moment at the end, and [Lee] is playing a FedEx guy," Downey said. "He's like all of us. He's a really big deal, but he's just another schmuck and we have to get his coverage in the can, too. It's like, "And roll sound…" and he's like, [in a Bronx accent] "I have a delivery for Tony STANK!" [Laughs] It went completely downhill after that. I was like, I am exactly like him. It all goes downhill after Take One. You gotta capture it before it's gone."

Johansson chimed in "Please…", with Downey responding "You're right, Take Two is my strong take. But you should stop after that. [Laughs, sits back looking self-satisfied] "Aaand…he guided it back to himself!"

Johansson was up next, remembering a meeting with Lee after Iron Man 2. "I also had a similar moment as Mark when I saw him," Johansson said. "I think it was after the Iron Man 2 premiere, and I was just so nervous. I didn't know how the audience or anybody would react to this beloved character and my interpretation of her, especially because I wasn't originally cast, so I also had a lot of feelings about that. [Emily Blunt had been offered the role first.] I made a career out of that! Number two! Strong number two! [Laughs] But yeah, I had a lot of feelings about it, and I saw [Lee] in the theater and he was very excited. I had a big sigh of relief after that."

For Feige, all these interactions are exactly why Lee was so beloved, and he also had one of his own. "The amazing thing is, just as you've all said, he said the right thing to the right person at all times," Feige said. "Every interaction was what one's dream interaction with Stan Lee would be. He made that come true every single time. He left me a voicemail once in 2004, and I kept it for years until I think the phone disintegrated. It was: "Fearless Feige! Stan Lee here!" I listened to it over and over and over. That's what he was always like. Always supportive."

For Evans, his memory with Lee was actually outside of the MCU, going back to his days as the Human Torch. "See, I'm going back to Fantastic Four," Evans said. "The first time I met him was 2004, when I was doing Johnny Storm, and the day that he was on set we actually happened to have a B-roll crew. So one of my first interactions with him is all caught on . And I found the footage! At the time, I was very early in my career, and it was the biggest role I'd ever done. To meet someone like him was so, so overwhelming, and he was in true Stan Lee form — full of life and just so kind and gregarious. He just made me feel right at home."

For Renner and Hemsworth, they just admired what kind of man Lee was throughout his life, and hope to live as vibrant a life as he did.

"I aspire to be as strong-minded," Renner said. "The guy lived an amazing life. When you spent time with him, you just knew this guy was burning with the fire of life. He had a great sense of humor and a smart, smart mind. I hope and aspire to be anywhere half of what he was as a man. It's really fantastic."

"He just had a childlike wonder and enthusiasm," Hemsworth said. "You'd want to talk about something like what-it-all-means and so on, and he was just like, "No, I'm just telling stories and we're having fun!" There's a deeper meaning in the message, which he achieved so beautifully, but the childlike nature about him made me think, "Oh, good, we can all just stay big kids forever." He's the perfect example."

What's your favorite Stan Lee memory? Let us know in the comments!

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