Chris Evans didn’t waste any time at New York Comic Con getting into the topic of the season: Halloween, and cute rescue pups in Halloween costumes (although don’t expect to see Dodger, Evans’ pup, in costume this year).
NYCC’s Chris Evans Spotlight panel was unusual, as it was conducted under SAG-AFTRA strike rules, meaning the actor couldn’t discuss specific projects. In my opinion, this panel deserves a shout-out for running an entertaining interview without being able to reference his work. The former Captain America star discussed being a proud dad to his eight-year-old rescue dog Dodger, whom he still describes as a puppy. According to Evans, Dodger is a “brand new soul” who, in the duo’s seven years together, “hasn’t aged a day in his body or mind.”
Evans added, “I think he’s got another nine in him.” I hope he does, Evans; he is adorbs!
“I’m such a dog dad. I miss him when I’m away from him for a day,” elaborated the newly-wed actor. “I don’t know if prior to Dodger, I realized how special shelter dogs are.”
Dodger Evans becomes a star, just like dad!
Like the rest of the Evans brood, Dodger is becoming a star! Last year, Evans and Dodger teamed up with the premium dog food company Jinx to create a line of dog products in an effort to bring healthier and more affordable food options to pet owners. According to Evans, Dodger (who appears in the ads alongside his famous dad) was integral in this collaboration coming to fruition because he loves the brand’s treats.
“He absolutely loves it,” Evans said, “so it was a bit of a no-brainer.”
Furthermore, Evans’ experience adopting Dodger while filming Gifted in Savannah, Georgia, influenced how the duo approached their collaboration with Jinx. When Evans decided to spend National Dog Day at New York’s Animal Haven this year, it was his idea to spend time with old and disabled dogs. During the panel, the actor recalled approaching Jinx about the idea of visiting a shelter because “Dodger’s a shelter dog,” adding, “We’re hoping to do a lot more stuff like that in the future.”
When asked if he had a favorite holiday during the panel, Evans responded: “It might be Halloween. I’ll tell you what: Halloween and Christmas, it’s a neck-and-neck race. I love Thanksgiving, but I think Halloween and Christmas are duking it out.”
The actor, who has also said on previous occasions that he tries not to work in the fall, elaborated that some of his favorite seasonal activities include apple picking, carving pumpkins, and raking leaves.
“Certain times of the year, I just don’t want to miss that just means too much to me,” Evans told the crowd at NYCC. “You only get so many autumns. You only get so many Christmases. So you just want to be around for those things.”
“I’ll rake leaves and have a good time,” Evans said. “Those dead leaves smell so good, and it’s the smells that kind of signal what’s coming: it’s not just autumn, those dead leaves mean that Halloween’s coming, that means Thanksgiving’s coming, that means that Christmas is coming. It’s just kind of the trifecta of my favorite holidays, or my favorite time of year, so it’s everything.”
In what I interpreted as a remark on the ongoing impact of climate, he continued, “When I grew up, Christmas was a lot more … Well, we had snow! And for some reason, I don’t know what’s happening, but everything’s shifting, and now, you’re lucky if you get snow in December, which is such a shame because that was always such a nice part of Christmas having a foot of snow outside. If it’s a snowy Christmas, that’s tough to beat.”
Meanwhile, despite being man’s best friend, Dodger isn’t a big fan of colder holidays. Evans recalled, “When I first got him back in 2015, that winter was a rough one, a lot of snow. We would go on these big hikes, and I was like, ‘Are his feet getting cold? Should I put booties on him?’ So I got these booties and put ‘em on him, and man, you could be holding a raw sirloin steak, he will not move. Whether it’s booties or a costume, I’ve forced sweaters and things on him, and he just freezes. He hates it.”
Unfortunately for us, Evans probably won’t be putting Dodger in Halloween costumes this year.
“I probably won’t do the Halloween costume thing just because I know he doesn’t like it, even though I love it,” the actor said when asked if Dodger would be dressing up. “I won’t do it to him. I don’t think he’s a fan.”
(featured image: Lionsgate)
