Captain America Actor Chris Evans Reveals Why He Loves Being a Role Model for Kids

Captain America‘s Chris Evans revealed why he loves being a role model for kids. The Steve Rogers actor talked to Paul Rudd for Variety‘s Actors on Actors series. Evans understands that Cap is a symbol for a lot of young Marvel fans out there, and he doesn’t take that responsibility lightly. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a formative thing for many fans out there. All of those little kids have never known a live-action Captain Americaother than him. So, the MCU star does his best to set a good example and remain a positive influence for anyone who might be watching. Once upon a time, Captain America was a young theater-goer just like them and he cherished Star Wars and other properties. Now, with his work in all those movies, Evans is hoping his version of Steve Rogers serves a similar purpose for another generation.

“You know, it’s yeah a little bit [freak out]. But that’s so nice. I dunno about you but I grew up with Star Wars and I had certain characters that just meant the world to me. We live in a much different time now. When I was young, the celebrity was far away. And actors were only accessible through their work,” Evans detailed. “Now, you have this other channel where you can offer more of who you are, which is a tricky tightrope to walk, but it is nice to be able to share a little bit extra. Especially playing a character I respect so much and trying to you know create this nexus between the work you do and the impact you may want to have on kids. It’s so nice when a kid looks up to you.”

“What a strange thing, very undeserving in a way, you know? You’re just an actor. But it’s nice to kind of feel that the interaction can be more than, I dunno. I met Hulk Hogan when I was younger and it was the best thing I’d ever seen in my life. No disrespect to Hulk Hogan—but sometimes you meet people where you get your own identity tangled up with them in a way,” he continued. “You start to aspire to things and it’s motivating. I think the role itself kind of brings a lot of that to the table… It’s nice to interact with kids especially when they walk away feeling something that the character put in their head already.”

It looks like Evans is pretty much done with the MCU at this point. He and Robert Downey Jr. made their curtain calls in Avengers: Endgame. But, as the Marvel movies move forward, it is clear that those two heroes will shape a lot of what comes next. In fact, one of Rogers final acts on film was to ensure that kids will still get to have a hero to root for. All that remains to be seen is if Anthony Mackie will really lift the shield as Captain America later this year.

What do you think of Evans’ comments here? Let us know in the comments!