Chris Evans has reportedly been in a relationship for the past year, according to a source.
The Captain America actor, 41, is said to be dating Portuguese actor Alba Baptista, 25, who stars in the 2022 film, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris.
The source claimed to People magazine that Evans and Baptista have been dating for “over a year”, adding: “They are in love and Chris has never been happier. His family and friends all adore her.”
Images obtained by Page Six have also shown Evans and Baptista holding hands this week.
The Independent has contacted representatives of Evans and Bartista for comment.
The report comes just days after Evans was named People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” for 2022. In the accompanying interview he said that kids are in his future.
“When you read about most of the best artists, whether it’s actors, painters, writers, most of them [admit] it wasn’t the work they made [that they are most proud of], it was about the relationships; the families they created, the love they found, the love they shared,” he explained.
“So it’s also something through my long 41 years that also rings true. Those things are the most important.”
The appointment of the title also led some fans of the actor to discover, or rediscover, the prevalence of the actor’s tattoos.
Evans has numerous tattoos on his torso, explaining to The Hot Hits in 2014: “I really like tattoos, but the problem is, when you wear a short-sleeve shirt in a movie, that’s an extra hour in the makeup chair. It’s not worth it. I’m all for tattoos, but just somewhere they can be hidden.”
“I would like to thank the universe for Chris Evans’ chest tattoos,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
Another added: “OK since when did Chris Evans get a tattoo? How dare he? Is he out of his mind? Does he know how significant this is?”
Despite reports that Evans and Bartista have been dating for over a year, in July this year Evans said he was “laser-focused” on finding a partner.
During an interview with Shondaland while promoting The Gray Man, Evans was asked whether he was “laser-focused” on anything. He replied: “The answer would be maybe laser-focused on finding a partner.
“You know, someone that you want to live with. Look, I love what I do. It’s great. I pour all of myself into it, but even this industry is full of pockets of doubt, hesitation, and recalibration in terms of really trying to find someone that you really can pour all of yourself into.
“Maybe it’s about trying to find someone that you’re looking to spend your life with. Yes, so maybe it’s that.”
Evans’ last high profile relationship was with actor Jenny Slate, who he dated from 2016 to 2018.