Before Chris Evans became skinny Steve in Captain America: The First Avenger, lots of other actors auditioned for the part of Steve Rogers. The original deal for The First Avenger back in 2010 wasn't huge by Hollywood standards, at only $300k, but it came with an agreement to appear in up to six future films. Playing Captain America has thus ended up being one of the biggest moves of Chris Evans's career, but it's interesting to consider how things might have gone differently.
The casting process for Captain America: The First Avenger was long and filled with a staggering variety of names. Both Sam Worthington and Will Smith were apparently involved in early talks for the part but were never seriously pursued. Michael Cassidy, Scott Porter, Mike Vogel, and Patrick Flueger were all on the table at one point, and while his name was also in the ring, Chase Crawford wasn't allowed to test for Cap to his starring role as Nate Archibald on the teen drama Gossip Girl. Tron star Garrett Hedlund was also on the shortlist for quite a while, but it's unclear whether he ever officially auditioned for the coveted role. From there, rumored names become even more far-fetched, from Channing Tatum, who was more of a fan-casting, to the likes of comedian Dane Cook and both Joe and Kevin Jonas.
Ultimately, it's very difficult to say just how many of these actors actually met with director Joe Johnston for official Captain America auditions and how many were only names being tossed around at the time. Chris Evans, who has played 8 comic characters in his career, was himself cast without having to audition since Johnston was already familiar with his work. Thus, it's also possible that some of the other actors in contention were being seriously considered even if they never had a screen test. While a comprehensive list of every single candidate could fill a book, here's every actor who definitely auditioned for the role of Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger.
John Krasinski
Known for his longstanding role as Jim Halpert on The Office, John Krasinski was actually quite close to being cast as Captain America. Apparently, he got as far as suiting up during an audition. As Krasinski tells it, Chris Hemsworth, who had recently been cast as Thor, saw The Office star half-suited and said he looked good, but Krasinski knew immediately that he'd never measure up to Hemsworth's physique as a fellow superhero. For this reason, or because Krasinski could never escape The Office, the actor passed on the part.
Sebastian Stan
Anyone who has seen The First Avenger will recognize Sebastian Stan, as he plays Steve Rogers' lifelong best friend and comrade-in-arms, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes. Stan has gone on to reprise this role as the Winter Soldier in both Captain America sequels, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and the Disney+ show The Falcon & Winter Soldier. The chemistry between Evans and Stan as Steve and Bucky proves that the two are well-suited for their respective roles, but Stan initially auditioned for the part of Steve Rogers back in 2010 before being cast as Bucky.
Chris Pratt
Another MCU star who found a different way in after trying for Steve Rogers was Chris Pratt. Best-known at the time for his role as the lovable but dumb Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation, Pratt was initially uninterested in the Marvel role. Casting director Sarah Finn championed his cause, however, and persuaded him to audition. While he wasn't right for the part of Captain America, his audition still came through for Pratt in the long run, as it helped convince James Gunn that he would be perfect for playing Starlord in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Scott Eastwood
The son of award-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood, Scott Eastwood has had a solid acting career himself thus far, with notable roles in films as varied as The Longest Ride and Wrath of Man. Back in 2010, when casting for Captain America: The First Avenger was underway, he wasn't as well known, but the young actor did put in an audition for the part of Steve Rogers. Though Captain America didn't work out, Eastwood wants to play Wolverine, another Marvel character, if the opportunity ever presents itself.
Wilson Bethel
Though not technically part of the MCU, Netflix's Daredevil features one star who almost was. Wilson Bethel, who plays the villain Bullseye in the series, auditioned and even screen-tested in Cap's suit for the titular role in Captain America: The First Avenger back in the day. Bethel was excited about the part and felt that he was pretty close to getting it, and was initially disappointed when it went to Evans instead. However, things came full-circle for Bethel when he snagged a major role in the Marvel show, which was a big hit before Netflix canceled Daredevil in 2018 to the dismay of many viewers.
Ryan Phillippe
Much of Ryan Phillippe's time in the spotlight came in the late 90s with films like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cruel Intentions, and 54. While the actor carried out an audition for Captain America and liked the idea of the role, Marvel ended up passing on him, which was probably for the best, as he had young kids to take care of at the time. Phillippe has had a more recent appearance in ABC's Big Sky, in which he plays private detective Cody Hoyt.
Kellan Lutz
Kellan Lutz's best-known role is probably Emmett Cullen in the Twilight saga. But around the time that those films were coming out, Lutz also auditioned for not only the part of Steve Rogers in The First Avenger but for the God of Thunder in Thor as well. Excited at the prospect of both roles, Lutz was disappointed to come away with neither, though he did get to play a hero with the titular role in The Legend of Hercules in 2014.
Alexander Skarsgård
Like Lutz, Alexander Skarsgård also auditioned for the leads in both Thor and The First Avenger. The Swedish actor's best-known part to date may be Tarzan in The Legend of Tarzan, though he also had a key role in Godzilla vs. Kong in 2021 as Dr. Nathan Lind, one of the MonsterVerse's returning characters. Though Alexander missed out on two MCU movies, his father, Stellan Skarsgård, has played astrophysicist Dr. Erik Selvig in several Thor and Avengers films.
Jensen Ackles
Jensen Ackles is known for his starring role as Dean Winchester on the cult classic Supernatural, which is also part of the reason he never made it into the MCU. Ackles auditioned for the role of Steve Rogers, but because Chris Evans had already been offered the part, the Supernatural star was supposedly offered the role of Hawkeye instead but had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts with the long-running show. Ackles will get to suit up as the worst version of Captain America, Soldier Boy in The Boys season 3, however.
Wyatt Russell
Speaking of knock-off Captain Americas, Wyatt Russell made a recent appearance as John Walker in The Falcon & Winter Soldier, a young army captain who attempts to take up Steve's mantle at the government's behest. However, the son of superstar Kurt Russell actually auditioned for the part of Steve Rogers back in 2010. Russell was relatively unknown and quite new to acting at that time, so he describes the audition as being more about seeing whether he could act rather than putting him in real contention for the role. Like every actor who auditioned for Captain America in Captain America: The First Avenger, Russell was destined to lose the part to Chris Evans, who was undoubtedly the right man for the role.