Los Angeles: Superheroes Thor and Captain America might be serious about saving the world in Marvel`s ensemble "Avengers: Age of Ultron," but actors Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans found themselves unable to keep a straight face while discussing the film.
Amid laughs and irreverence in an interview with Reuters, Hemsworth, the 31-year-old who plays Thor, and Evans, 33, who stars in the role of Captain America, talked about the Marvel franchise and female characters. Here are excerpts.
Q: The Avengers are looking inwards at their own fears and responsibilities in "Age of Ultron." Why was that important?
Hemsworth: They`re a little more mature than the first time around. The first time was them trying to come together as a team, and now they`re trying to operate as a larger scale, as a team, or have been for some time.
But I think all the worlds that they`ve been a part of are beginning to collide, and the pieces of the puzzle that they`ve moved around are coming together and causing this chaotic event.
Q: There has been a lot of commentary that there needs to be more female representation in these films.
Evans: Who says that? Great, use that. Nailed it. Man, I saved this one.
Hemsworth: I didn`t say that, by the way.
Evans: No, I did.
Hemsworth: I agree, there should be more female representation ... (laughing) Before he (Evans) ruins this interview and my career, what`s the question? I`m actually interested, what was the question?
Q: How does this movie address criticism that there aren`t enough female characters in superhero movies?
Hemsworth: (If I) have it my way, I`d get rid of all of us, have an all female cast - women are smarter than men. My mum`s smarter, so is my wife, so women (turns to Evans) you should leave this interview and women should lead the world. You sexist human being.
Evans: This interview is my favorite one. This is my favorite one. My favorite.
Hemsworth: I`m with you though, I`m just not sure we`ve really nailed down the question.
Evans: But they`re going to do it though. They`re doing "Captain Marvel," people are going nuts over Captain Marvel.
Scarlett (Johansson) was playing Black Widow in "Iron Man 2," it wasn`t like she had a long-picture deal, but fans wanted it and she keeps coming back. Now we`ve got (Elizabeth) Olsen and even Cobie (Smulders), they keep bringing Cobie back.
There`s no denying that people want to see female superheroes and there`s plenty of them, and I think (with) Marvel, these aren`t getting old. I think a lot of people think there`s superhero exhaustion. I tend to disagree because Marvel can`t stop making good movies, and they absolutely will bring more females to the screen. Nailed it.
Q: You answered two of our questions in one go.
Evans: I don`t even have a wife!