Chris Evans has opened up about his perspective on his iconic Captain America character, his initial reservations about taking on the role, and his current stance on returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

In an interview featured in GQ’s October issue, Evans expressed his agreement with Quentin Tarantino’s remarks from last year, highlighting that in Marvel films, the characters themselves take the spotlight, not necessarily the actors who portray them. Tarantino had noted, “Part of the Marvel-ization of Hollywood is, you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters, but they’re not movie stars. Captain America is the star.” Evans concurred with this sentiment, stating, “That was the beauty of working on Marvel films. You never really had to be front and center. Even in your own films sometimes. Quentin Tarantino said it recently, and I was like, you know, he’s right. The character is the star. You’re there, but you don’t feel the burden of it.”

Evans also revealed his initial hesitance in taking on the role of Captain America. He explained, “I was really apprehensive about taking the role initially.” He recalled this period in his late twenties when he experienced a shift in his feelings on set and during film promotion, characterized by increased anxiety and uncertainty. He described the self-doubt that often plagues actors, saying, “You always end up questioning, Is this what I should be doing?”

After completing his contractual obligation of portraying Captain America in seven films, Evans left Los Angeles following “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019. While he hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility of returning to the MCU, he emphasized that such a return is not on the horizon. He said, “I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of.” Evans is wary of tarnishing the legacy of the character or the original work, stating that he wouldn’t want to return if it felt like a mere cash grab or if it failed to meet expectations. He concluded, “So, no time soon.”

Additionally, Evans acknowledged his readiness to explore other interests and potentially reduce his acting commitments. He expressed contentment with his career, despite not having received Oscars or being among the industry’s top names. He explained, “I have a lot of other interests. Look, by no means have I climbed any sort of a mountain in this field. I have no Oscars, and I’m not lumped with other names that are at the top of the mountain in any way. But I also feel very satisfied.”