Chris Evans had a reasonably successful acting career before 2011, though most of his roles in films like Not Another Teen Movie, The Losers, and the Fantastic Four franchise relegated him to a snarky pretty boy. Director Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs The World) suggested Evans to the Marvel brass for the role of Steve Rogers, a.k.a Captain America, citing his role in Sunshine as proof of his chops as a serious leading man. Evans originally turned down the offer three times, concerned by the 6-picture, decade-long commitment with the then-unproven Marvel Studios.

Luckily, he changed his mind, and has since become a household name, having appeared as the heroic Steve Rogers in some of the most financially successful and beloved blockbusters in history, including the recently released Captain America: Civil War. While Evans has admitted to sometimes being overwhelmed by his fame and dealing with anxiety during promotional stints, he seems to make an earnest attempt to keep himself grounded.

As an example, a recent tweet from Evans’s Twitter account shows the world his every-man origin story through a letter he wrote in his junior year of high school and sent to casting directors:

Wow. My dad found the letter I sent to DOZENS of casting directors during my junior year. Hilarious. #bestsummerever pic.twitter.com/9pyZxAVisk— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) June 8, 2016

In a later tweet, he elaborated: “And the resume/headshot I sent along with it is BEYOND humiliating. Truly comical. Luckily it did somehow lead to an internship. #dumbluck”

Evans has a reputation as being an unpretentious guy (MTV even dubbed him the “humble hottie” back in 2011) and there’s certainly something admirable about a film star who’s willing to show the public his imperfections.

While most juniors in high school probably don’t have the most impressive resumes (or most original cover letters), Evans certainly seems to be someone that knows what he wants and is ready to work hard to get it, even when he was in high school. Seven years of involvement in any particular field is fairly impressive at that age and luck probably has less to do with Evans’ success than he gives himself credit for.

That said, it’s nice to know that even success stories like Evans’s came from humble beginnings. With hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to put ourselves out there, any one of us could be a model for the 1999 Hasbro board game Mystery Date.

Chris Evans stars in Captain America: Civil War, which is in theaters now. Doctor Strange opens November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel– March 8, 2019; Avengers: Infinity War Part 2– May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.

Source: Twitter