Anthony Mackie, who plays the role of Falcon in the Marvel Movies, has recently voiced his views on the lack of diversity in the Marvel Comic Universe. Mackie was recently interviewed by Variety for its Actors on Actors issue.
The actor, 41, frankly stated that he disapproved the lack of diversity and exclusion of people of colour in the Marvel Comic Universe. While talking to Daveed Diggs, the actor spoke on the currently trending issue of Black Lives Matter movement and how it has rocked the African American and the coloured communities in the U.S.
Captain America: Civil War (2016), Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, Shown: Anthony Mackie (as Sam Wilson/Falcon)
The actor who will be starring in the upcoming MCU movie ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘, which is teaming up with Disney+ to air the movie on Disney+ and its associated sites. Mackie talked about the disproportion of the white crew members and co-stars to that of the coloured and black ones. He candidly mentioned that it was people like him and Diggs (who will be starring in Snowpiercer), who could turn things around in the interest of the coloured communities.
Mackie showed no hesitation to mention that most of his crew at the MCU has been white. Whether it was the producers, the actors, stylists, designer, the pa, scriptwriters to the actors, most of the people he has worked alongside in the MCU have been white.
He also made another admission on how the Marvel Comic Universe has been racist towards the people of the colored community. He talked about the movie ‘The Black Panther’, which turned out to be the first-ever MCU movie to be nominated for Best Picture category. According to him, hiring an entirely black crew for a movie that depicts the life of a black superhero is extremely xenophobic and racist on MCU’s part.
Mackie questioned whether this attitude of hiring only white crew for movies or series that leads a white cast is acceptable to the MCU audience. He also questioned if the MCU considered black or colored people incompetent to be employed for a movie or series that leads a white cast.
The actor spoke on how Marvel was indirectly berating the black and the colored communities. The narrative that Marvel has set for the black people is that inherently they can only be employed as crew members for movies or shows which have a lead cast of black people.
The fact that the actor spoke on this sensitive issue was to create awareness in the entertainment industry about Marvel’s bigoted actions and views. Mackie wishes for Marvel to establish inclusivity for the black and the colored communities. He wishes to see more involvement of the black community but not based on obligation. He stated in an interview that the employment criteria for black and colored people should be based on merit and credibility.
The actor feels that societal backlash and societal obligation for the representation of black people in the MCU is apparently problematic and the solution to that according to him is that an employment basis should be hard work, efforts, and the willingness to work.
He wants the Marvel Comic Universe to provide equal opportunities to the black community just as it does to the white community. Their employment and hard work is not something that should be handed to them on the basis of charity.
What are your views on Anthony Mackie’s take on the lack of diversity in the MCU? Comment below!