Chris Evans has not shied away from sharing his opinions on politics in recent times, even getting into it with several notable figures online and making them look a little silly. It’s odd for a star like Evans to really lay his politics and beliefs out there for all to see, not because he’s a celebrity but because he’s under that Marvel / Disney control at the moment. You’d expect they would just keep their stars frozen until they’re needed on set.
While he noted that he could be ready to put Captain America behind him in a recent Esquire interview, he also addressed his opinionated nature and how his advisers have warned him about going too hard online. After saying he feels “rage” and “fury” thanks to people like Steve Bannon and David Duke, he mentions that people have told him to cool it with the “public exchanges” and political opinions. While he agrees somewhat, he makes a strong case for keeping that door open:
“Look, I’m in a business where you’ve got to sell tickets,” he says. “But, my God, I would not be able to look at myself in the mirror if I felt strongly about something and didn’t speak up. I think it’s about how you speak up. We’re allowed to disagree. If I state my case and people don’t want to go see my movies as a result, I’m okay with that.”
This is the moment where Esquire points out that Evans “walks out onto his porch and lights a cigarette.” This leads to him clearing his mind a bit and pointing out the balance that is needed when you’re spouting opinions at all times:
“Some people say, ‘Don’t you see what’s happening? It’s time to yell,’ ” Evans says. “Yeah, I see it, and it’s time for calm. Because not everyone who voted for Trump is going to be some horrible bigot. There are a lot of people in that middle; those are the people you can’t lose your credibility with. If you’re trying to change minds, by spewing too much rhetoric you can easily become white noise.”
There is definitely a ton of white noise out there. Every wrong by the Trump administration becomes an impeachable offense while others point to every report by the media as “fake.” Toss in a few conspiracy theories and folks who still haven’t given up on Hillary Clinton and you’re looking at an oversaturated political dialogue. Evans has done a good job of picking his spots up to this point, even if that doesn’t ensure his safety at the box office.
(Via Esquire)