Honestly, if you were online around 2016, you probably remember the collective "Wait, what?" that happened when the world found out Chris Evans and Jenny Slate were a thing. It was one of those pairings that just didn’t make sense on paper. You had Captain America—the human equivalent of a golden retriever in a supersoldier suit—and Jenny Slate, the indie comedy darling known for Marcel the Shell and being unapologetically, hilariously "too much."
People were obsessed. Why? Because it felt real. It didn't feel like a PR-coordinated stunt designed to sell movie tickets. It felt like two people from Massachusetts who happened to meet at work and realized they actually liked talking to each other. But then, as quickly as it started, it was over. Twice.
Even now, years later, people still bring them up. Maybe it's because they were so vocal about their mutual respect after the split, which is a rarity in Hollywood. Let's get into the weeds of what actually went down.
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How Chris Evans and Jenny Slate Actually Met
It all started on the set of the movie Gifted in 2015. Chris was playing a guy raising his math-prodigy niece, and Jenny was the schoolteacher. Standard indie drama stuff. But the chemistry wasn't just for the cameras.
Before they even started filming, Jenny was nervous. She later admitted to Vulture that she was a little intimidated by him. To her, he was this "giant man with huge muscles" who played a superhero. She didn't think they’d have anything in common. She basically thought he was a "sports guy" or the "kid who likes P.E."
Chris, on the other hand, was smitten by her brain. During a joint appearance on Anna Faris’s Unqualified podcast, you could practically hear the sparks through the speakers. Chris said that even though he’d only known her for a few months, it felt like they were "the same animal." That's a high compliment coming from a guy who usually keeps his private life under a heavy-duty vibranium shield.
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The "Apples and Oranges" Dynamic
The internet dubbed them an "odd match," and Jenny didn't disagree. She famously described their pairing as a "chick riding on a St. Bernard’s head."
- The Massachusetts Connection: Both grew up about 30 minutes away from each other outside Boston.
- The Game Nights: Chris is a notorious game night enthusiast. Jenny, initially skeptical, found herself won over by his unpretentious love for simple fun.
- The Vulnerability: Jenny described Chris as being like "primary colors"—straightforward, honest, and deeply emotional.
Why the Relationship Eventually Cracked
So, if they were "the same animal," why did it end? The first breakup happened in February 2017, just before their movie Gifted was set to premiere.
The reasons weren't scandalous. There was no cheating, no dramatic blowouts in a restaurant. It was mostly about the "Captain America" of it all. Jenny was incredibly candid about how hard it was to date someone with that level of fame. She was used to being a "cartoon"—someone who could walk down the street and just be a person. Chris couldn't go to a restaurant without it becoming a whole thing.
The Timing Problem
There was also the factor of her divorce. When they started dating, Jenny had only been separated from her husband, Dean Fleischer-Camp, for a few months. She later reflected that she probably didn't have the "tools" to process a divorce and a high-profile romance at the same time. She wanted to "step into the light" because Chris was so sunny and fun, but mourning a marriage takes time. You can't just skip the sad parts.
The On-Again, Off-Again Saga
Because they genuinely liked each other, they couldn't stay away. By late 2017, rumors started swirling again. They were seen together in Atlanta while Chris was filming an Avengers movie. Jenny even tweeted about her "dreamy" boyfriend who cheered her on while she showed him her online shopping hauls.
It felt like they might actually make it. They spent Christmas together with his family. Fans were rooting for them because it felt like the "nerdy girl gets the prom king" narrative, except both of them were actually the cool, theater-kid versions of those archetypes.
Then, March 2018 rolled around. A New York Times profile of Chris casually mentioned that the relationship had "recently ended." Just like that, it was over for good.
What We Can Learn From Their "Complimentary Uncoupling"
What makes the Chris Evans and Jenny Slate story stick is how they handled the aftermath. Most celebrity breakups involve "sources" leaking nasty details to TMZ. These two did the opposite.
Jenny called his heart "golden-colored." Chris called her his "favorite human." They showed that you can love someone deeply and still recognize that you aren't right for a forever-partnership.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Own Life
If you’re currently navigating a breakup or wondering why a "perfect" match didn't work out, look at their playbook:
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- Acknowledge the Lifestyle Gap: Sometimes, love isn't enough if your daily realities don't align. If one person wants a quiet life and the other is "Captain America" (literally or figuratively), that friction adds up.
- Don't Rush the Rebound: Even if the person is amazing, if you haven't processed your last major relationship, the new one is built on shaky ground.
- Keep the Respect: You don't have to be best friends with your ex, but holding onto the "golden" parts of what you had makes moving on a lot healthier.
Today, both have moved on. Jenny Slate found her "forever" with Ben Shattuck, and Chris Evans eventually married Alba Baptista. But for a brief window in the mid-2010s, they gave us a glimpse of what happens when two very different worlds collide and find something beautiful, if only for a little while.
To keep up with the latest in celebrity culture, pay attention to how stars handle their press tours—it's usually the first sign of whether a "friendly" breakup is actually as smooth as they claim.