Anthony Mackie On Lack Of Diversity On Marvel Movie Sets: “Every Single Person Has Been White!”

Anthony Mackie On Lack Of Diversity On Marvel Movie Sets: “Every Single Person Has Been White!”

Actor Anthony Mackie is getting candid about the stark lack of diversity in his experience in Hollywood. Anthony Mackie recently pointed out that in his nearly 20 years in the business, there have been minimal Black faces on set – including his in seven times playing Falcon in the Marvel movie saga. Anthony told fellow actor Daveed Diggs:

“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…When ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ comes out, I’m the lead…We have the power and the ability to ask those questions.”

Anthony Mackie criticized that only implenting Black crew members on Black films – such as “Black Panther” – is inherently racist.

He 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. And 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?”

Here the 41-year-old actor gives his suggestions to improve diversity and inclusion in Hollywood:

“My big push with Marvel is hire the best person for the job. 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. And that’s something as leading men that we can go in and push for.”

As for “Insecure” executive producer Prentice Penny, he says he’s doing his part by doing just that: putting Black creatives in position:

“I think the beauty of that is that in our show specifically, most of our writing staff is all Black. Heavy Black women as well, and giving Black directors opportunities…the department heads, too- because that’s where the hiring happens.”

What are your thoughts about Anthony Mackie’s remarks? Let us know in the comments.