Chris Evans isn’t ruling out running for political office: ‘I would never say never’
Captain America fans be damned, I’ve never really been a huge Chris Evans stan. I don’t have a problem with him, it’s just that he sometimes (SOMETIMES) seems like a neurotic whiner. But he’s not like that in his interview with the new issue of Esquire Middle East. He comes across well and almost sort-of Captain America-like. Before now, I had no idea that his uncle is currently serving in the House of Representatives. His uncle is Rep. Mike Capuano. Do they call him “Cap” too?! Anyway, Chris talks about politics and more. Some highlights: Whether he would run for political office: “I would never say never. I’ve always thought it would be nice one day to think about some sort of political pursuit. I’m so proud of my uncle and of anyone who dedicates themselves to helping the progression of society in exacting change for the betterment of mankind. Ultimately, there’s very few things that I consider to be noble and challenging. I know that Washington is a tough place. I have my opinions and maybe later on in life I might try and actually get up on a soap box.” Directing his first movie, Before We Go: “I’d wanted to direct for a long time. It’s just hard to find someone who’s willing to let you direct. I have no training. I’ve never been to any sort of school, so it’s a gamble. It was a situation where we found a script that felt manageable. This was a simple story; it’s two people. It just felt very contained and, not to sound awful, but I aimed a little low, just because I wanted to get my feet wet. I think there’s no shame in that. I didn’t want to bite off more than I could chew the first time out.” What happened as a director: “There were a lot of things I thought I was prepared for that never became a problem, and things I didn’t think would be an issue that ended up being one. So it was very eye opening. But I loved the experience and I want to do it again. I’m trying to aim a little higher in terms of the story and the scope. I feel a little more comfortable behind the camera, and it’s now just about finding the right script. Because the really great scripts are snatched up by the really great directors. So it’s about digging and trying to find the diamond in the rough.” He’ll take more of a break from acting when he has kids: “I would never stop acting completely, because I do love it, but if I was to get married and have kids, I could see myself wanting to be less of a famous actor. The fame thing is the tricky part, especially when you have children, and there is a nice element to the investment in directing. Even the amount of time and passion required for pre- and post-production; you’re with a project intimately for a year. As an actor you’ve got a few months and then you completely forget about it. So I like that connection, and I like that you can be a little more in the shadows but still be part of a profession that you’re in love with.” On ambition: “My big ambition is to not have a big ambition. I know it’s kind of strange but mu goal in life is to practice trying to be present on a daily basis. I think, as people, our consciousness is spread out. We analyze the past, we worry about the future, and it’s all fueled by fear and pain and all these negative things. Even when its good it’s going to be not good in a minute. Then you’re chasing it again. It’s all rooted in time and I think my big ambition is to really practice the ability to quiet my brain a little and just learn how to enjoy the moment.” [From E! News] I didn’t see Before We Go, but I remember that the reviews weren’t bad or anything. He didn’t embarrass himself and he’ll probably be given another opportunity to direct, because Hollywood loves rewarding white guys. I’m just saying… if a black, Asian or Hispanic actor had made the jump to directing and made so little impact with their first film, would they be given another opportunity? As for what he says about possibly running for political office… I actually like that idea. He doesn’t carry around the kind of personal baggage that many “political” actors have – as in, I know less about Chris’s personal life than George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, etc. And I think it’s cute that he’s already planning ahead for when he’s married and has kids. PS… Chris debuted this new clip from Captain America: Civil War at the MTV Movie Awards. Thanks, @ChrisEvans for debuting this EXCLUSIVE clip from #CaptainAmericaCivilWar at the #MovieAwards! https://t.co/pMOcII0hl6 — MTV (@MTV) April 11, 2016 HD outtake of Chris Evans for Esquire Middle East April 2016 Issue. #ChrisEvans #Chris #Evans #EsquireMagazine #Cevans #TeamCevans A photo posted by Chris Evans (@teamcevans) on Apr 2, 2016 at 4:06pm PDT Photos courtesy of Esquire.