Chris Evans on why he left MCU and might quit acting: Hollywood ‘wasn’t healthy’

Chris Evans has provided insights into his decision to walk away from his lucrative Marvel contract as Captain America.

The 42-year-old actor achieved immense fame and became one of Hollywood's highest-paid stars, but he made the decision to step down after Avengers: Endgame in 2019.

In an interview with GQ Magazine for their October issue, Chris reflects on his choice to retire his superhero persona and discusses the possibility of leaving the entertainment industry altogether.

The actor says: “I was really apprehensive about taking the role initially. I 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?”

Evans reveals that as his fame continued to rise, so did his anxiety levels, sometimes to the point of being debilitating. Eventually, he made the decision to relocate from Los Angeles back to his hometown located just outside Boston, Massachusetts.

He says: “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."

Of the move to his hometown, he added: “[It] takes me back to a place when life was not just simpler - that’s too reductive - but to a time where I was more pure, I guess; where my ego and my insecurities weren’t such a dominant force that I had to push against.”

Evans came close to quitting acting due to severe anxiety, a condition that was exacerbated by the immense pressure and significance of his role in the iconic blockbuster franchise.

Of his return to the MCU, the star 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.”

The worldwide fame has had an impact on the Snowpiercer star who admits he is having doubts about whether he wants to continue acting or not.

He says: “I could just make furniture for nobody and be happy. I don’t want to waste too much time in this industry, but that doesn’t really feel.... That doesn’t 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.”