Did you know that John Krasinksi was close to becoming Captain America? He actually auditioned for the role and went so far as to put the suit on. Or at least, most of the suit.
While appearing on The Ellen Show, the former Office star spoke about the process and how a fellow actor’s physique made him feel insecure and intimidated. That fellow actor was Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth.
Just about any male not named Dwayne Johnson might feel intimidated by the Australian star who’s been playing the God of Thunder since 2011. But while seeing it up close, Krasinski was especially awed by Hemsworth’s body.
“I was putting the suit on and the guy was like, ‘This is really momentous.’ And I said, ‘Yes,'” Krasinski continued. “I was putting the suit on, and I was halfway up, and right at that moment, Chris Hemsworth walked by and he was like, ‘You look good, mate!’ I was like, ‘Nope! You know what, it’s fine, we don’t have to do this. Nope, we don’t.’”
“He was just jacked. He’s like, ‘You’re gonna look great in that suit!’ I was like, ‘Don’t make fun of me, Hemsworth,'” Krasinski added. “And so I just walked away right there. No, I didn’t. I acted my heart out that day, and it didn’t work out.”
While Krasinski didn’t become Captain America, he did eventually bulk up for 13 Hours, proving that the former dweeb from television had the ability to put in the work to look like a superhero. He also doesn’t spend too much time thinking about what might’ve been in regards to if he got the role, because if he’d been cast, he probably wouldn’t have become a director.
“Well, I know I wouldn’t have done it as well as Chris,” Krasinski recently told Total Film when asked about his Captain America audition. “At least I get to see someone good do the role. I’ve actually talked to Chris about it. Not getting it is the freedom I’ve been afforded. Had I got it my directing and writing career never would have happened. Certainly A Quiet Place never would have happened had I got Captain America.”
Ironically, Krasinski’s wife, Emily Blunt, was also up for a Marvel role way back when. She was set to star as Black Widow, but had to back out due to scheduling conflicts with the movie Gulliver’s Travels. Now that’s a sliding doors moment. After seeing her kick ass in Edge of Tomorrow, Blunt could have easily made the part of Black Widow her own, but Scarlett Johansson obviously isn’t too bad of a replacement.
While Krasinski and Blunt missed out on their chance to enter the MCU way back when, they may still have a second opportunity. Reports indicate that they’re being eyed to star as Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman in the Fantastic Four reboot. For now, though, fans of the pair will just have to settle for A Quiet Place: Part II, which opens March 20th.