Garret Hedlund Chose Tron Legacy Over Possibly Playing Captain America

Garret Hedlund has spent the past six years wisely building up his Hollywood cred, co-starring in such films as Friday Night Lights, Four Brothers and Death Sentence. But it isn't until December that his name will start to be ingrained in the minds of the American public, after Tron Legacy has been released to the world and his abilities as a leading man are determined right there and then. I've been hearing some not-great things about his performance, but I remain hopeful that he'll pull it off.

According to him though, Tron Legacy might not have been the only big-budget blockbuster release we could've seen him in over the next year. Read what he had to say after the break.

In an interview with Fade In, Hedlund shared briefly on his involvement in the casting for Captain America: The First Avenger.

I met with the director [of Captain America] last year... we'd just continually pass on it because of scheduling. Also, to be in something that [was a franchise], we felt that Tron already had that. To mix in another heroic character was not necessary. I didn't really think that was my gig.

If accepting that Hedlund was indeed a priority candidate for Captain America, his decision to pass may have been a smart move. To immediately start accepting as many top-lining roles that are available to you, prior to even having an understanding of how your audience feels about you, can potentially be the death knell for an actor's career, as has already been evidenced by Jon Heder and Michael Cera, and as I'm sure will soon be evidenced by Sam Worthington and perhaps even Shia LaBeouf. The risk of overexposure is pretty great in Hollywood, and the only way I can see Hedlund's move backfiring on him is if Tron Legacy outright bombs at the box office—though I doubt studios would be looking to him to pass blame if such a thing did occur. Then again, look at Brandon Routh; he's been popping up in great bit parts recently (Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), but it's taken him four years since Superman Returns to once again secure a starring role (Dylan Dog: Dead of Night).

In any case, it sounds like Garrett Hedlund isn't too concerned with earning a spot as a hot item Hollywood star right now, and is pretty comfortable just accepting whatever roles appeal to him. Next up he has two smaller-scale films in the works: an adaptation of Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, and Country Strong, a music drama that will have him starring opposite Gwyneth Paltrow.