Anxiety and uncertainty: Chris Evans initially turned down role in Captain America

Chris Evans initially turned down the chance to star in Captain America.

The 42-year-old actor took on the role of the Marvel superhero in the blockbuster film franchise but revealed that when he was first approached to take on the part, he said no because he felt "anxious" over his career.

Speaking prior to the onset of the SAG-AFTRA strike, he told GQ: "I was really apprehensive about taking the role initially."

"I remember in my late 20s having a real shift in how I felt on set, how I felt promoting films: a little more anxiety, a little more uncertainty. You always end up questioning, 'Is this what I should be doing?'"

"I just wasn't sure if I was moving closer to myself or further away. And something inside me kept saying that I was getting further away - that something about this industry wasn't healthy."

The Hollywood star last appeared in the MCU in the 2019 smash hit Avengers: Endgame and while he would "never say never" to going back once more, he is actually hoping to act "a little bit less" in the upcoming years.

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. And like I said, sometimes I can't believe it even happened."

"And I wouldn't want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn't live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn't connected to that original thing. Ultimately, I really hope to just maybe act a little bit less."

"I could just make furniture for nobody and be happy. I don't want to — I've got to frame this correctly. I was going to say I don't want to waste too much time in this industry, but that doesn't really feel [or] sound correct."

"I don't want to occupy too much space in an industry that I've already poured 20 years into."

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm lacking some sort of — like, I think I'm a very driven person. I have a lot of energy. I wake up early, I get a lot done in a day, but it's not always focused on acting. Sometimes reading a script is the last thing I want to do."

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