Anthony Mackie Criticizes Marvel's Lack of Diversity

Anthony Mackie TIFF 2019
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The 41-year-old actor has been playing Falcon since 2014's 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier.'

Anthony Mackie is looking forward to seeing the Marvel Cinematic Universe change -- in front of the camera and behind the scenes. In a conversation with Daveed Diggs for Variety's Actors on Actors, Mackie opened up about what's "bothered" him about Marvel's lack of diversity. The actor has played Falcon since 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier and stars as the character in the upcoming Disney+ series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. 

"It really bothered me that I've done seven Marvel movies where every producer, every director, every stunt person, every costume designer, every PA, every single person has been white," Mackie said. 

"We've had one Black producer; his name was Nate Moore. He produced Black Panther. But then when you do Black Panther, you have a Black director, Black producer, a Black costume designer, a Black stunt choreographer," he continued. "I'm like, that's more racist than anything else. Because if you only can hire the Black people for the Black movie, are you saying they're not good enough when you have a mostly white cast." 

Mackie pointed out that starring in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier affords him more power. With that power, he hopes to enact positive change. 

"My big push with Marvel is hire the best person for the job," he explained. "Even if it means we're going to get the best two women, we're going to get the best two men... Fine. I'm cool with those numbers for the next 10 years. Because it starts to build a new generation of people who can put something on their résumé to get them other jobs."

"If we've got to divvy out as a percentage, divvy it out," Mackie continued. "And that's something as leading men that we can go in and push for."

See more on the MCU in the video below. 

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