‘I was broke and needed the money’: Succession’s Jeremy Strong reveals he almost played Captain America’s ‘pre-superhero’ body double — and his pal Chris Evans had no idea
Jeremy Strong has revealed that he almost played Captain America’s pre-superhero double in the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger.
The 43-year-old Succession actor told the Sunday Times culture supplement he was “broke and need the money” when approached to take the role, which would have his face covered in CGI, before eventually turning it down .
The news came as a shock to his pal Chris Evans, 41, who famously played the muscular hero, saying: “This just goes to show the industry is so unpredictable!”.
Almost: Succession’s Jeremy Strong (pictured last month) has revealed that he almost played Captain America’s ‘pre-superhero’ double in the 2011 film
The character was first introduced to audiences as a skinny soldier before undergoing body transformation and developing superpowers thanks to a scientific experiment.
Jeremy, who plays Kendall Roy on the HBO series Succession, told the magazine, “They said they needed a transformative actor and would use CGI to put the actual actor’s face and voice over my own.
“I thought about it. But that’s my story from LA. That would just never happen to me here. It didn’t feel like what I had to offer was appreciated.
“And the next day I went back to New York and did a play about a veteran from Afghanistan who was in a wheelchair during the 2003 blackout.”
Superhero: The character was first introduced to audiences as a skinny soldier (left) before undergoing body transformation and developing super strength (right)
Chris, who grew up with Jeremy, admitted he had no idea his friend had been offered the role but was glad it worked out for his pal, who has since won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role in Succession won.
The series follows the Roy family, owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and entertainment conglomerate, as they battle each other for control of the company.
It comes after a first look at the HBO series’ fourth season was released, with a teaser trailer confirming there will be no shortage of drama when the hit show returns.
Track record: Chris, who grew up with Jeremy, admitted he had no idea his friend had been offered the role, but was glad it worked out for his pal
Production on the series began this summer and while an official release date has yet to be announced, the show is expected to air next year.
Not much is revealed in the short clip, but it’s clear that tension within the Roy family is still simmering as they continue to fight for control of Waystar Royco.
An official synopsis for the upcoming series reads: “The sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson draws closer in the 10-episode fourth season.”
Happy ending: Jeremy has since won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role in Succession (pictured)
“The prospect of this harrowing sale provokes existential angst and family cleavage among the Roys as they anticipate what their lives will be like once the deal is finalized.”
The synopsis concluded, “A power struggle ensues as the family weighs a future in which their cultural and political weight is severely limited.”
Additional cast members have also been confirmed for the new season.
First look: In a teaser trailer for Succession season 4, Logan Roy vowed to “kill the opposition” while his toxic family went to war over Waystar Royco