You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes – Chris Evans (June 21, 2023)

Episode Overview

On this special episode, host Pete Holmes welcomes Chris Evans for their first in-depth conversation. Famous for Captain America and roles in Knives Out and Ghosted, Evans joins Pete to share candid reflections on acting, fame, vulnerability, creativity, and the search for inner peace. The two, both originally from the Boston area, dive deep into their shared weirdness, philosophies of life and art, and the universal journey toward contentment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Boston Roots and Early Influences

(04:22 - 09:45)

• Pete and Chris immediately bond over their Massachusetts upbringing, comparing hometowns, schools, and local haunts like Newbury Comics and the Burlington Mall.

• Both fondly recall the impact of Good Will Hunting on young artists from Boston. Evans recounts meeting Ben Affleck and being starstruck, demonstrating his vulnerability.

  "[Affleck’s] a big guy, you know, and I just... I couldn't make sentences, and I just got starstruck. I got... yeah."
  —Chris Evans (09:45)

2. Vulnerability in Comedy and Acting

(11:39 - 17:34)

• Pete praises Chris’s visible vulnerability, connecting it to the core of comedic and dramatic performance.

• Chris admits it takes days on set before he relaxes, and only after the fact does he truly unlock a scene, highlighting the perpetual struggle with presence in creative work.

  "About a week after the scene is over...that's when I figure it out. That's when I'm like, oh my God, I just unlocked it."
  —Chris Evans (13:12)

• They discuss how feelings during a performance rarely match how the work appears onscreen.

3. Truth, Honesty, and Actor Envy

(13:48 - 19:36)

• Chris reflects on the elusive nature of authenticity in acting and how some actors (like Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Tommy Lee Jones) bring an inherent magnetic quality he envies.

  "I don't think that anyone, if they're just 100% honest, is going to be interesting on film. I think some people, even if they are maybe not a hundred percent present in the scene, can still be dynamic on camera."
  —Chris Evans (16:21)

4. Learning by Imitation & The Actor’s Craft

(19:15 - 32:49)

• The conversation covers the mimicry involved in both comedy and acting, from Brad Pitt’s posture to learning lines in a script “wrong” to break the expected rhythm.

• Chris shares his method of studying greats (like downloading film scripts and watching corresponding performances) to understand nuance.

  "It's like, you know, practicing basketball with Jordan...you get to kind of watch what the greats do."
  —Chris Evans (29:09)

5. Ego vs. Presence – The Art & Struggle of Surrender

(21:32 - 35:56)

• They delve into Alan Watts’s philosophy of childlike presence, the moment ego intrudes, and the lifelong challenge of returning to “now.”

• Chris contemplates groundedness and presence as essential for both better acting and better living, relating acting breakthroughs to moments of surrender.

  “The surrendering to the moment, whether it's in life or in your performance...to be comfortable and to surrender to now. Because in now is everything.”
  —Chris Evans (21:32)

6. Contentment, Perspective & Cosmic Awe

(39:13 - 48:46)

• Chris describes achieving contentment through cosmic perspective—a “big space nut,” the sense that we are a miracle of chance.
• Sharing how awe, especially in nature, brings tranquility and gratitude:

  "It's a miracle to be here. I was just getting out of my car the other day...think of the sliding door ripple effect that that one choice would have had..."
  —Chris Evans (41:06)

7. Peace Practices & Routines

(45:08 - 54:14)

• Evans details his mental routines for peace: living in nature, appreciating the seasons, maintaining a sense of awe.

• He shares a practical anxiety hack—mentally telling himself, “let’s go on a vacation from these thoughts for six hours” to quiet night-time anxiety.

  “Let’s just say, how about for the next six hours, we just go on a vacation? ... those problems will be here tomorrow morning, and we’ll tackle them all then.”
  —Chris Evans (51:00)

8. Meditation, Ego, and Spiritual Teachers

(54:14 - 57:45)

• The discussion turns to Eckhart Tolle, Ram Dass, and the idea that “you are not your thoughts.”
• Both agree peace comes from “sky identification” (awareness) rather than identifying with passing thoughts (clouds).

9. Societal Ego and Social Media

(57:02 - 61:36)

• Chris laments the internet’s effect on our egos, referencing fire, the Internet, and the wheel as history’s most impactful inventions.

• Pete posits hope that social media could lead to spiritual awakening by showing the emptiness of external validation.

  “You don't wake up from dreams, you wake up from nightmares.”
  —Chris Evans (59:36)

10. Spirituality in Film & Storytelling

(61:05 - 69:18)

• Chris and Pete reflect on films' power to communicate deep truths (The Matrix, The Truman Show, Lucy, Marvel movies) and the challenge Evans feels portraying spiritual meaning through acting.

  “As an actor, it's hard to come up with projects that you think can help move that needle. Because I think it's right.”
  —Chris Evans (61:36)

11. Interconnectedness, Nature, and Letting Go

(72:05 - 78:47)

• They touch on David Foster Wallace’s “This Is Water,” the interconnectivity of all things, and how animals (like Chris’s dog) model pure presence.
• Evans says, “I'm in awe of things. I’m just blown away by stuff... and that awe really drops you into the moment.” (46:04)

12. Introversion, Identity, and Social Roles

(80:08 - 82:18)

• Evans ponders the burden of identity in the film industry, craving solitude as a break from self-consciousness. Pete and Chris agree introverted moments grant true relief from the “scripts” others give us.

13. Speed Round & Memorable Moments

(83:19 - end)

• Ghosts: Chris is skeptical, noting the egocentric focus: “Are only humans ghosts or can animals be ghosts? And I go mosquitoes. Are they everywhere?” (84:17)

• UFOs: Chris believes in extraterrestrials: “If you don’t believe there’s life out there, you need to read a book.”

• Psychedelics: He expresses support for therapeutic psychedelic use.

• Laughing Hardest: Chris describes getting uncontrollable giggles with Hemsworth during an Avengers press junket, relishing childlike laughter.

  "My friends say I’m a real... it’s why I’m not funny. I think everything is hilarious, especially when you know you shouldn’t be laughing." —Chris Evans (93:14)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• On Actor Envy:
  “I’m certainly envious of those actors that just have the capacity, the Downeys, the Scarlets, that can just sit and exist and...I’ll watch a whole movie of this.” (16:53)

• On Surrendering to the Moment:
  “Now holds everything. It holds the joy, it holds the sadness...Once you get to that point of...analyze the past and worry about the future, the now is hard to hang on to.” (21:32)

• On Cosmic Perspective:
  “It’s a miracle. It’s an absolute miracle to even exist. And that alone has really brought me a deep, deep sense of calm.” (41:06)

Episode Timestamps – Important Segments

• Boston Upbringing & Early Inspiration: 04:22 – 09:45
• Vulnerability and Set Nerves: 11:39 – 13:48
• Acting Method & Comparing to Other Actors: 13:48 – 17:34
• Learning from the Greats: 29:09 – 32:49
• Cosmic Awe & Contentment: 39:13 – 47:07
• Peace Routines & Anxiety Hacks: 45:37 – 52:55
• On Social Media & Ego's Collapse: 57:20 – 59:36
• Philosophy in Film: 61:05 – 69:18
• Speed Round (ghosts, UFOs, psychedelics, laughing fits): 83:51 – End

Memorable Moments

• Chris being open about his awkwardness and anxiety meeting Ben Affleck and on set.

• Spiritual wisdom peppered throughout, including Alan Watts, Ram Dass, and Eckhart Tolle.

• Evans shares a simple but powerful method for peace: "Let's just go on a vacation from these thoughts."

• The comic back-and-forth on ghosts and the idea that mosquitoes could be ghosts:

  "Ghosts to me are a very egocentric concept."
  —Chris Evans (84:35)

• The joy of breaking down into laughter during press junkets, revealing the playful side of the Marvel family.

Final Tone & Closing

Throughout the episode, Pete and Chris maintain a tone that's thoughtful, warm, and refreshingly honest—never shying from metaphysical tangents or gentle self-deprecation. The conversation is peppered with jokes, humility, spiritual insights, and a heartfelt desire for truth and connection. It’s an episode as weird as it is wise—true to the podcast’s spirit.

Keep it crispy!