Some heroes wear capes — Anthony Mackie wears an iconic red, white, and blue suit, which failed to impress his sons during a recent family outing. The 46-year-old father of four took his kids to see Sonic the Hedgehog 3 when the trailer for his new movie Captain America: Brave New World played. Mackie shared his experience with PEOPLE, chuckling as he recalled how his 8-year-old son initially began to take notice. “He slowly turns and looks at me, then he looks back at the screen,” he said. However, as soon as the Sonic movie started, the Mackie boys quickly lost interest. “It has never been a topic of conversation,” he added.
Mackie continued, “My boys are so funny because their only goal is to beat me at board games,” expressing that they don’t seem to care much that he is a movie star. He shares his sons, ages 8 to 15, with his ex-wife, Sheletta Chapital. Mackie emphasized that their bond doesn’t revolve around his celebrity status. “We play board games all the time, and my job never comes into question. They just love me and appreciate me as dad. So my first job, my most important job, is just being a good dad, being the dad that my dad was for me. My work part of it doesn’t really matter.”
While Mackie’s sons may shrug off his headlining role as Captain America, the actor himself views this moment as a significant milestone. “This moment means everything,” says Mackie, who first gained recognition in 2002’s 8 Mile, starring alongside Eminem shortly after graduating from New York’s Juilliard School. Since then, he has become a steadfast figure in Hollywood, delivering acclaimed performances in films such as the Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker and Detroit. Securing the role of Captain America is the culmination of a longtime dream for him.
Reflecting on his ambitions, Mackie revealed, “When I started in this business, I said I wanted to be a superhero, and I wanted to do a western with Clint Eastwood. One out of two ain’t bad.” He notes that he did have the opportunity to co-star with Eastwood in the director’s Oscar-winning 2004 boxing drama Million Dollar Baby. Since joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Sam Wilson, a former Air Force rescue squadron member known as Falcon, Mackie has been entrenched in the superhero world.
The transition of Captain America’s shield from Chris Evans’ character, Steve Rogers, to Wilson in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame marked a pivotal shift in the franchise. Mackie mentioned that his friend Evans was equally supportive offscreen, telling him, “You’re going to be great.” Director Julius Onah added that Mackie “embodies those core values of Captain America: justice, integrity, empathy.” He observed this dedication daily on set as Mackie interacted warmly with the entire crew.
Captain America: Brave New World is set to hit theaters on Friday, February 14. For more insights about Anthony Mackie and his journey, readers are encouraged to pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, ensuring they stay updated on the exciting developments surrounding this beloved character and actor.
