Spock Almost Played Captain America
Star Trek may have its own icon in Spock, but it turns out the actor who plays him almost became Marvel's Captain America first.
For fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, no other character may be as popular as Captain America. Known by many as “America’s Ass,” the character has been embodied by American actor Chris Evans for years, concluding with the wildly successful Avengers: Endgame. Joining forces with the likes of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Captain America is a fan favorite for many reasons. Taking on the persona of representing the United States and the world at large in fierce battles, both domestic and intergalactic, Captain America is emboldened by the spirit of pride and the ability to wield a shield of great power and strength. Before Evans took on the role, it appears that many actors had auditioned, including one apt and surprising choice that went on to play another iconic role, Spock.
According to a report by The Direct, actor Ethan Peck confirmed recently that he auditioned for the part of Captain America before Chris Evans was cast for the first film. At the time of Captain America: The First Avenger’s release in 2011, Peck would have been 25 years old and was virtually unknown at the time. Apparently, the Los Angeles native was called back for several auditions and came close to earning the role. Similarly, he experienced an excellent audition for the character of The Deep on Amazon’s The Boys, which is a spoof of sorts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe superheroes. Peck is currently starring as Spock in the television shows Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Before he played Spock on television, Ethan Peck was on the shortlist to portray Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, in Captain America: The First Avenger. He joined a list of actors that went on to play other roles within the MCU, as well as popular characters in other film and television franchises. Screen Rant reports that many of these actors include The Office star John Krasinski, who ended up playing Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Sebastian Stan, who took on the part of Bucky Barnes, and Chris Pratt, who was featured as Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. This shortlist apparently also included Twilight alum Kellan Lutz, True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard, and Jensen Ackles, who currently stars on The Boys as a darker version of Captain America named Soldier Boy.
For Ethan Peck, it may have been a blessing in disguise that he did not win the role of Captain America because his turn as Spock is giving his career cult-like status in recent years. As the grandson of legendary actor Gregory Peck, he may have been considered just a glimpse in the shadow of his famous relative. However, Ethan Peck is earning rave reviews for his take on Spock, famously brought to life by Leonard Nimoy for many years. Rotten Tomatoes currently ranks Star Trek: Strange New Worlds with an average score of 99% on its Tomatometer from critics and a 79% Average Audience Score. The Paramount+ series premiered earlier this year, and a second season is currently in production.
