Chris Evanshas had a variety of roles after leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a thriller on Apple TV+ is one of his best works post-Captain America. Chris Evans’ acting career began in 1997 with a role in an educational movie, and he got his first starring role four years later in the comedyNot Another Teen Movie.
Evans first joined the world of superheroes in 2005 withFantastic Four, and in 2011, he joined the MCU as Captain America. Before that, Evans had minor appearances in different TV shows, and he got his first major TV role after leaving the MCU. Evans starred in the legal dramaDefending Jacob, and it’s one of his best roles to date.
Chris Evans Gives A Great Performance In Defending Jacob
Created by Mark Bomback,Defending Jacobis based on the 2012 novel of the same name by William Landay.Defending Jacobfollows the Barber family: father Andy (Evans), mother Laurie (Michelle Dockery), and son Jacob (Jaeden Martell).Defending Jacobkicks off with the murder of one of Jacob’s classmates, Ben Rifkin, who is found in a park near their school.
Andy, an Assistant District Attorney, is assigned to the case, but when the investigation points to Jacob as the prime suspect, Andy is removed from the case. As Jacob defends his innocence, Andy and Laurie do their best to clear his name. However, the more they learn about the case and their own son, the more they begin to question if Jacob is truly innocent.
Critics praised the performances of the main cast ofDefending Jacob, giving it a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Andy Barber was unlike any ofEvans’ previous roles, and he got to show his acting range inDefending Jacob.
Evans perfectly portrayed the emotional distress, moral ambiguity, and complexities of Andy Barber and showed his different sides: from a protective father to a man who wants to do the right thing. As Andy goes through a wide range of emotions, Evans brings these to life in ways that the audience can relate to him without going through the same situation as him.
Defending Jacob Is One Of Chris Evans' Best Post-Captain American Projects
Defending Jacob’s Andy Barber is not only one of Chris Evans’ best post-MCU roles, but the show is one of his best projects since leaving Captain America behind. Evans hasn’t done a lot of TV work so far, mostly focusing on film, with some of his best works post-MCU beingKnives Out,Deadpool & Wolverine, andMaterialists.
On TV, he has served as narrator in different documentaries and reprised his role as Lucas Lee in the animated showScott Pilgrim Takes Off.Defending Jacob, then, is his best TV show to date and one of his best post-Captain America ones.Defending Jacobbrings together suspense and drama, and it’s emotionally heavy as it follows the Barbers’ struggles quite closely.
Defending Jacobis only one season long, and it will leave its audience constantly wondering who is telling the truth, what truly happened between Jacob and Ben, and how Jacob’s family will deal with whatever happens with Jacob’s case.
