There are very few celebrities who are as worthy of love, adulation and praise off the screen as they are on it, and no one is as worthy as the charming, blue-eyed actor who wowed us as Captain America on screen and wooed us into loving him off it. On his 41st birthday, we list the reasons that made us fall in love with Chris Evans both on and off the screen.
1. Because he rescued a dog
He rescued Dodger from the sets of Gifted and they have been inseparable since. Fans are often treated to pictures and videos of Evans driving, playing, cuddling and chilling with his pupper. The most adorable moment was the video he posted where the two meet after a 10-week separation.
And then he went and posted pictures of him with lots of pups and we can’t contain it!
2. Because he is a true gentleman
Who says chivalry is dead? Not when our real-life Prince Charming is around. In 2015 the Captain America star jumped into action to assist industry legend Betty White up the stairs to accept her favourite TV icon trophy at the People’s Choice Awards. In 2019 he gave Regina King a helping hand at the Academy Awards when she paused to regain her footing after her heels got tangled in her dress when she got up to claim the best supporting actress award.
3. Because he has an infectious laugh
His gleeful, chest grabbing, full-body laughter is delightfully contagious. Fans have even devised a scale to measure how amusing he finds something depending on how far he throws back his head, how wide he opens his mouth and whether he grabs his chest with one hand or two. Sometimes this is accompanied by him falling off the chair during interviews. Yes, Anthony Mackie did that to him.
4. Because he can rip a log in half but can also tap dance
A lot of what Evans did on screen is CGI, but his muscles and his strength were definitely not make-belief. Remember that scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron where he rips a log in half while arguing with Tony Stark? Well, fans clearly googled that a lot and while answering Google search questions, the actor confirmed that he did, following it up with “You know, I mean was it made out of styrofoam? I don’t know, that’s nobody’s business”.
But he is not just all muscle. The man who can do no wrong can also tap dance, something he learnt from his mother in childhood and followed up later in life, because you know, why not.
5. Because he loves his family
He has taken his family members – mother, sisters and brother – as dates to red carpet events, including the Academy Awards, multiple times. Evans always says that his siblings are his best friends and their camaraderie is easily visible, especially when he and his brother Scott dish out embarrassing stories about each other on talk shows. Like that time he pranked Scott into peeing in his pants!
6. Because he is versatile
He might have become a household name after becoming Captain America but he is much more than an action star. He can do slapstick comedy like he did in Not Another Teen Movie, What’s Your Number? and The Nanny Diaries. He has the acting chops to pull off dramas like Gifted and Fierce People. He is a worthy villain in cult classics like Scott Pilgrim vs The World as well as critically acclaimed films like Knives Out. He can also direct and be a romantic lead in an indie film like Before We Go. Is there anything this man can’t do?
7. Because he is a Disney fan
Even before he became a Disney product with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Evans was a die-hard Disney fan whose favourite Disney movie is Robin Hood, who has very good reasons for why he is like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, who knows the names of all the seven dwarfs and the lyrics to all the songs in The Little Mermaid.
8. Because of his love for the colour blue
That man knows how to play up his best feature, which is a toss up between his blue eyes and his winning smile. But while the smile is always there for us to see, it is the eyes that are brought into stunning focus with his gorgeous blue suits. From teal to navy, he has worn every shade of that colour, from suits to tees to shirts.
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9. Because he is outspoken
Evans has not only spoken out about his experience with anxiety and depression, he has also been outspoken politically, adding value to his words by launching a bipartisan website called A Starting Point. He has also given voice to many of the voiceless helping charities, not just by himself but also by roping in his Avengers co-stars and making a difference to many children.
@chris_haven/Twitter
10. Because he understands his own worth
One of our top moments from Avengers: Endgame has to be the future Captain America fighting the past Captain America. And while “I can do this all day… I know” is one of our favourite moments from the scene, the best is definitely the one where future Cap looks at younger Cap and proudly says “that IS America’s ass”.
