Chris Evans is one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars but he’s not your typical A-lister. Over the years, the Captain America actor has been exceptionally candid about his professional and personal life and his admissions are all the more surprising, and refreshing, given his fame.
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For one, he’s repeatedly shared how acting is not his be-all and end-all. In fact, he told Variety in 2014 that he was ready to move behind the camera and pursue another passion: directing. “I can’t see myself pursuing acting strictly outside of what I’m contractually obligated to do,” he admitted, noting, “If I’m acting at all, it’s going to be under Marvel contract, or I’m going to be directing.”
Similarly, he’s been honest about the fact that he doesn’t love doing press and yet, he’s talked openly about everything from the true meaning of happiness to finding success beyond work. And so, in honor of Evans’ many memorable interviews, we’re rounding up some of his most inspirational quotes below.
Chris Evans’ Inspirational Quotes About Happiness
“Gratitude is the key to happiness."
Chris Evans has achieved incredible fame and status but he tries to never take it for granted. In 2013, he was asked what it’s like to be such an integral part of the MCU and, as he put it, it’s easy to become “desensitized.” As the actor explained, the more your career takes off, the more likely you are to focus on the hustle rather than on the experience or your achievements. “You're not just sitting there like, 'Wow, look at this, look what I was a part of' [...] which is a shame,” he mused.
That’s why Evans now makes a conscious effort to soak it all in and always be grateful. As he shared, he tries to constantly remind himself “to be appreciative and grateful because gratitude is the key to happiness. If you have a healthy understanding of gratitude, you can't lose," he reasoned.
“Happiness is about trying to live in the moment, and being present.”
While practicing gratitude is one major key to happiness, being present is another. It’s easy to get into the habit of always looking forward and working towards the next goal, then the next. However, it’s important to stop and soak in the moment. As Chris Evans told Woo in 2022, savoring your present – whether it be career, love, or just life overall – is vital.
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Yes, it’s wise to learn from the past and set goals for the future, but the here and now should never be dismissed. After all, once it’s gone, you won’t get it back and you may regret not taking the time to enjoy it. Sharing his super simple secret to being happy, Evans told the outlet, “Happiness is about trying to live in the moment, and being present.”
“The times in my life when I've been happiest are when I've seen, like, a sunset."
If there’s one final key to happiness we can all learn from Chris Evans, it’s the importance of finding joy in little things. While grandiose milestones and accomplishments are definitely worthy of celebration, smaller everyday wins also deserve your attention. Little moments of sparkle and happiness are all around us — we just need to be open to seeing them.
In Chris Evans’ case, as he told GQ, he’s a sucker for a good sunset. “The times in my life when I've been happiest are when I've seen, like, a sunset,” he shared. When the interviewer seemingly questioned if he was being serious, the actor didn’t back down. "The point is that when I see a sunset or a waterfall or something, for a split second it's so great, because for a little bit I'm out of my brain, and it's got nothing to do with me,” he explained.
Chris Evans Gets Real About Love
"My 20s was a time for self-exploration and, okay, a little self-indulgence."
As we grow and evolve, our priorities change, and that’s OK. Speaking with Cosmopolitan UK in 2014, Chris Evans shared how his approach to dating has morphed through the decades and how he’s always been honest with himself about what he was looking for. Case in point: While he wasn’t ready to settle down earlier on in life, that was no longer the case.
"My 20s was a time for self-exploration and, okay, a little self-indulgence,” a 33-year-old Evans shared. However, he added his priorities have since shifted. “I'm at the point now where I'm ready to take the next step,” he told the mag. What it comes down to is embracing what you want and following a timeline you’re comfortable with — not one dictated by outside voices or society.
“[I’m] laser-focused on finding a partner.”
Once Chris Evans decided he was ready to settle down, he got serious about finding a serious relationship. After telling Cosmopolitan UK in 2014 that he was ready for a long-term romance, he shared with New York Times in 2018 that one of the reasons he wanted to act less was to make time for starting a family. Jump to 2022 and he confessed to Shondaland that he was pretty much trying to manifest his romantic future. “[I’m] laser-focused on finding a partner, you know, someone that you want to live with,” the actor revealed.
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Saying he still loves work and doesn’t plan to give it up — “I pour all of myself into it” — he explained he wants to find a partner to share his joy and successes with. And for anyone assuming dating must be easy for someone of his status, Evans quickly set the record straight. Love isn’t tied to career or money and there’s no fast-track to finding it. “Even this industry is full of pockets of doubt, hesitation, and recalibration in terms of really trying to find someone that you really can pour all of yourself into,” he shared.
“I just want someone with a good soul.”
It’s easy to get carried away when coming up with a list of characteristics you think a perfect partner should possess. However, the more requirements there are, the lower the chances of success. The key is to hone in on the essentials and approach dating realistically. Which is exactly what Chris Evans has done.
As he told Playboy (via Us Weekly) in 2012, he’s really narrowed down his must-haves. First, there’s humor. "I like girls who are self-deprecating; I like girls who make fun of themselves,” he said, arguing, “If you can't poke fun at yourself, what are you?” That being said, the most important trait he looks for in a partner is also the simplest. “I just want someone with a good soul,” he told the mag. “That's about it. The rest I'm really flexible on.”
Chris Evans’ Most Memorable Quotes About Success
“I’ve stopped thinking about my trajectory, or my oeuvre, or whatever pretentious word you want to use.”
Achieving career success is incredibly gratifying but as Chris Evans argues, doing what you love should always take precedence over doing something for money or praise. Yes, it’s true that he himself has starred in a slew of blockbusters, but as he told the New York Times in 2018, he’s trying not to focus on the box office. Instead, he wants to hone in on what makes him happy. “I’ve stopped thinking about my trajectory, or my oeuvre, or whatever pretentious word you want to use,” he told the mag, adding, “I’m just following whatever I feel creatively hungry for.”
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That includes making time for hobbies he enjoys (think sculpting and carpentry), even if they’re just for himself and not his fans. It also explains why, after 10 years of playing Captain America, he officially left the Marvel family in 2022. When you find career success, it can be tempting to stick with what you know and stop trying new things. However, fulfillment only comes from growth, which is synonymous with taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone.
“My happiness in this world, my level of peace, is never going to be dictated by acting.”
Chris Evans has repeatedly said that he loves his work in Hollywood, but he’s also been adamant about the fact that career success does not automatically equal life success. Yes, hitting your work goals and being good at what you do brings satisfaction and its own kind of joy, but it shouldn’t become your be-all and end-all. As he once told the New York Times in 2018, while he likes working in Hollywood, “when I think about the times that I’m happiest, it’s not on a movie set.”
It’s a sentiment he previously shared in 2016 when he explained that he finds great joy in what he does but he also knows to look outside his work for fulfillment. “I love acting. It’s my playground; it lets me explore,” he enthused, but quickly added, “My happiness in this world, my level of peace, is never going to be dictated by acting.”
As Chris Evans shows us, the most important thing to keep in mind when searching for success and happiness is balance. Making time for both your personal and professional life is key in order to be truly fulfilled and discover a real sense of joy and peace.
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