Anthony Mackie responds to the online reactions to his Seth Voelker a.k.a. Sidewinder, Samuel Sterns a.k.a. The Leader, and President Ross himself.
On January 27, 2025, Anthony Mackie explained his perspective on Captain America's values, saying, “Captain America represents a lot of different things & 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” (via @redheadsdiaries / Instagram). Two days later, Anthony Mackie took to Instagram to clarify his comments in reponse to the backlash they received. Mackie expressed his "utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country" and highlighted Captain America's "universal characteristics". Read Mackie's full response below:
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. 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.
What Anthony Mackie's Captain America Comments And Backlash Mean
Anthony Mackie Isn't The First Actor To Question Captain America's Patriotism
Anthony Mackie's comments received backlash due to his questioning of Captain America's loyalty to one single country. However, this is precisely a recurring theme in Captain America stories, both in the movies and in the source material, and both starring Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. In the MCU alone, Chris Evans' Steve Rogers disagreed with the US military in Captain America: The First Avenger, rebelled against SHIELD in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and opposed the US government in Captain America: Civil War. What's more, Chris Evans himself once discussed a very similar topic. In a 2011 interview with CBR, Chris Evans said:
Ha, well, to me, I'm not trying to get too lost in the American side of it. This isn't a flag waving movie. It is red, white and blue, but it just so happens that the character was created in America during war time, when there was a common enemy, even though it is Captain America. I've said before in interviews, it feels more like he should just be called Captain Good.
Back then, Chris Evans' Captain America comments received little to no backlash, and Captain America: The First Avenger reflected Evans' observations quite clearly. Years later, the unfounded criticism of Anthony Mackie's attainment of the Captain America mantle fuels the backlash against Mackie's comments. Even though Sam Wilson takes a similar approach to crime-fighting as Steve Rogers, disapproval is stronger, both inside and outside the screen.
Our Take On Anthony Mackie's Captain America Comments And Backlash
Anthony Mackie's Captain America Comment Backlash Is Unwarranted
Like Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie understands why Captain America isn't an unconditionally patriotic hero, being the main star of his solo movie. And just like Steve Rogers' MCU Captain America trilogy, Captain America: Brave New World's plot tackles this topic head-on. Any reasonable reactions to Anthony Mackie's comments would take the Phase 5 movie's full plot and its on-screen execution into before settling on any conclusive judgment.
Source: Anthony Mackie / Instagram
Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date
- February 14, 2025
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
- Director
- Julius Onah
Cast
Sam Wilson / Captain America
Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross / Red Hulk
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Dalan Musson, Malcolm Spellman
- Franchise(s)
- Captain America, Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Studio(s)
- Marvel Studios
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