People’s Sexiest Man of the Year Award has been a focal point of pop culture since it crowned its first celebrity, Mel Gibson, in 1985. The list of 34 hunks (some men like Paul Rudd received the award twice) is made up primarily of actors, but the title is eligible for any famous hottie. People bestowed the honor upon Chris Evans, an actor well-known for his portrayal of the patriotic superhero Captain America, in 2022. The grounded and talented actor with a thick Boston accent (and adorable dog) has had a lengthy career full of diverse roles. From cult-favorite indie movies to major blockbusters, Chris Evans seems to be a master of all domains — all while being a sight for sore eyes.
Chris Evans was born Christopher Robert Evans in Boston, Massachusetts, and was raised in nearby Sudbury. His mother worked as the artistic director of the Concord Youth Theatre, which likely influenced Evans and his siblings to have an interest in the arts. He attended acting camp as a child and interned for a casting company the summer before his senior year of high school in New York City, then started acting in small projects post-graduation.
In the early 2000s, Evans landed several roles that allowed him to build up his fan base. In 2005, Evans played the ‘hot’ hero Human Torch in Fantastic Four where he flexed his muscles literally and figuratively alongside famous co-stars like Jessica Biel. Five years later, Evans played one leading lady Ramona Flowers’ seven evil ex-boyfriends in the cult-classic Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. In both roles, Evans played an objectively handsome action man, but it was his balance of humor and likability made him an enthralling character.
In 2011, Chris Evans took on his most iconic role yet: Marvel’s Captain America in Captain America: The First Avenger. The role launched Evans’ career for a few key reasons. First of all, the movie’s immense success (it earned a whopping $370.6 million worldwide) made Evans a household name for the first time. While the movies preceding Captain America were more successful in the box office (excluding the first Incredible Hulk), it was highly praised by critics not only for its action sequences, but also for its engaging characters and period-piece aesthetic. Since the movie’s release, anyone remotely familiar with pop culture has at least heard of Chris Evans because of his portrayal of America’s hero.
Secondly, the first Captain America was part of the early Marvel franchise movies, known as Phase One, which kicked off the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe. Evans embodied the innocent and deeply patriotic Steve Rogers as a scrawny underdog and a powerful hero, maintaining the values of a “perfect American” throughout. Viewers were transported to the 1940s due to the movie’s exceptional world-building which, alongside a strong supporting cast and humor sprinkled throughout dramatic scenes, made the movie a favorite among Marvel fans. The movie’s success led Evans to play the Star-Spangled Hero for nearly a decade until (Spoiler Alert) the death of his character in the last Avengers film.
Evans’ portrayal of Captain America earned him a series of roles within the action sphere and outside of it. He starred in Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer in 2013, a science fiction film that merged Evans’ experience as an action hero with his gift for sensitive and dramatic acting. In 2017, Evans starred in the film Gifted, a family drama absent of any action, emphasizing Evans’ ability to play complicated, emotional characters. Since ending his stint as Captain America for Marvel, Evans acted the crime drama miniseries, Defending Jacob, and made his Broadway debut in Lobby Hero in 2018. The play received glowing reviews and resulted in Evans’ nomination for a Drama League Award.
In 2019, the comedy-mystery-family drama film Knives Out was released. The film was immensely successful both at the box office and among critics, garnering nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, British Film Awards and Academy Awards. Alongside powerhouse actors like Jamie Lee Curtis, Ana de Armas and Daniel Craig, Chris Evans’ portrayal of spoiled, brooding Hugh took audiences by storm.
In 2022, Evans starred alongside de Armas and fellow hunk Ryan Gosling in Netflix’s spy thriller The Gray Man. The film received mixed reviews, but still managed to showcase Evans’ talent for portraying comedic villains. Evans also provided the voice for the famous Buzz Lightyear’s origin story in the film, Lightyear, which had a more favorable reception and showcased Evans’ voice acting chops. In the future, Evans is slated to perform in two action films, Ghosted and Red One. In addition, Evans plans to flex his creative muscles in a project where he will portray renowned actor Gene Kelly.
Of course, People’s Sexiest Man of the Year award has a lot to do with looks. Chris Evans is handsome, fit and covered in tattoos, making him the ideal dreamboat for People’s coveted award. However, Evans’ hotness also has a lot to do with his personality. In his interview with People magazine, Evans explained “the whole thing is tough to be interviewed about” due to his distaste for “humble bragging.” While the title made him “ripe for harassment” from friends, he shared that his mother and family are “beside themselves.” Evans’ commitment to his family and his adorable dog, Dodger, proves that Evans is not only hot, but a down-to-earth, caring person.
