Anthony Mackie Clarifies He’s a ‘Proud American’ After Facing Unwarranted Backlash for Press Tour Comments Blown Out of Proportion
During his worldwide press tour for the upcoming “Captain America: Brave New World” movie, Anthony Mackie had a lot to say about his gratitude for being able to play a superhero like Cap, and he also wanted to acknowledge the wide-reaching fanbase the patriotic action hero has – but some people are misinterpreting his comments, leaving Mackie under fire for no reason.
After the heartfelt farewell of Chris Evans as the star-spangled, shield-toting Captain America in “Avengers: Endgame,” and the subsequent passing-of-the-mantle to Anthony Mackie as the hero’s ultimate successor, Marvel fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newest Captain America film. We did get to see a bit of Mackie in action as the hero in red, white and blue back in 2021 with the release of the TV series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” – which was a great show, but definitely not the same caliber as a blockbuster MCU movie. Enter “Captain America: Brave New World.”
While on-stage in Rome as part of his promo for the film, Mackie was asked about his thoughts on the perceptions and traits of the titular hero, to which he said: “for me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations. It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.”
Mackie was speaking to a European audience, so obviously he wanted to emphasize that Captain America isn’t just an American-exclusive character, but despite his intentions to convey the appeal and relatability of Cap to a wider audience, various conservatives and American nationalists are seemingly taking it the wrong way, claiming his comments reflect an “anti-American” sentiment, which really couldn’t be farther from the truth. The whole idea of Captain America is rooted in, yes, standing up for the good parts of American values, but also exposing and fighting against the bad parts when necessary.
After the sudden and puzzling backlash, Mackie took to social media to clarify what he meant. “Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP is the honor of a lifetime,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to.”
The negative response that Mackie received is also all the more troubling when considering that Chris Evans expressed similar thoughts about the superhero representing something more than just a symbol for America, but received no backlash for it. We can only wonder why that is.
Regardless, Anthony Mackie handled the whole situation with poise, shutting down the hypocritical feedback while standing by his original statement.
“Captain America: Brave New World” hits theaters everywhere this Valentine’s Day.
