Chris Evans’ Captain America was inspired by an Eagle Scout

Captain America and Eagle Scouts: Both wear uniforms, and of course they’re both patriotic and brave.

But recently I learned the shield-toting Avenger has even more in common with young men who earn Scouting’s highest award than you might think.

Chris Evans, the actor who plays the titular superhero in Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, “Cap” was modeled after an Eagle Scout he knew from growing up in Sudbury, Mass.

In a 2014 interview with the awesome Geek Dad blog, the actor says his friend, an Eagle Scout with the Knox Trail Council, inspired how Evans approaches the role.

Q: Do you find that a character like Captain America plays like a role model?

Chris Evans: Oh, completely. There’s a kid that I grew up with named Charlie Morris. He’s the best kid I know. He was an Eagle Scout. And being an Eagle Scout is not easy — you’ve got to really do it for a long time. But he’s just such a good man, and he genuinely, genuinely puts himself last. He lives by a code. And so when I took the role, I told Charlie, “Listen. I’m modeling this after you.” And it’s such a great character to aspire to be.

What a great quote. Read the full interview here.

I interpret it as proof that if Captain America existed in the real universe — instead of just the Marvel Universe — he’d surely have been a Boy Scout and more than likely an Eagle Scout.

The only question: Could Captain America count “saving the world” as his Eagle Scout project, or would he need to do something else?

Thanks to Scouter Jim Sottosanto of Plainfield, Il., Troop 83 for the tip!