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Anthony Mackie’s Controversial Captain America Quote Mirrors Chris Evans, The Comics
Captain America: Brave New World
Ahead of the release of Captain America: Brave New World, star Anthony Mackie went viral with his take on what Captain America represents. And that’s not necessarily just America. The quote was widely shared and required follow-up clarification from the actor. But it feels like Mackie is being unfairly targeted given that the last actor to have that role, Chris Evans said something nearly identical when he took the part. And so has Captain American in the actual comics.
Here’s Mackie’s original quote:
“Captain America represents a lot of different things and 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.”
Then, later he followed up with another comment on Instagram:
“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.”
Chris Evans as Captain America
If this is a “controversy,” then you have to wonder why Chris Evans didn’t get the same level of flak for his quote about playing the character. Here’s him speaking with CBM back in 2011 ahead of the first film in the series, The First Avenger:
“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. [Laughs] You know, he was created at a time when there was this undeniable evil and this guy was kind of created to fight that evil. I think that everyone could agree that Nazis were bad and he, Cap, just so happens to wear the red, white and blue.”
Going further back, this has often been portrayed significantly more pointedly by Captain America in the comics themselves. One such example from an issue:
“Listen to me, all of you out there! You were told by this man, your hero, that America is the greatest country in the world! He told you that Americans were the greatest people, that America could be refined like silver, could have the impurities hammered out of it and shine more brightly. He went on about how precious American was, how you needed to make sure it remained great. And he told you anything was justified to preserve that pearl of the great price that is America!”
“Well I say American is nothing! Without its ideals, its commitment to the freedom of all men, America is a piece of trash! A nation is nothing! A flag is a piece of cloth! I fought Adolph Hitler not because America was great, because it was fragile! I k new that liberty could be easily snuffed out here as in Nazi Germany! As a people we were no different than them! When I returned, I saw that you nearly did turn America into nothing!”
Imagine if Anthony Mackie said that. All Mackie is doing is reiterating a common sentiment about the character, and if the takeaway from people’s perception of Captain America is that he’s a mindless soldier fighting for the US to spread freedom everywhere, you don’t know the characters very well (maybe go watch The Winter Soldier again, for starters?). Mackie has many challenges ahead taking up this mantle, but this fake controversy should not be one of them.
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Anthony Mackie’s recent statement about his character becoming Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has sparked controversy among fans. In an interview with Variety, Mackie said, “The idea of being a Black man and becoming Captain America is an amazing opportunity. But it comes with a lot of weight.” This statement mirrors what Chris Evans, who portrayed Steve Rogers/Captain America in the MCU, has said in the past about the character.In the comics, Steve Rogers passed on the mantle of Captain America to Sam Wilson, played by Mackie in the movies. This storyline has been met with mixed reactions from fans, with some praising the decision to have a Black actor take on the iconic role, while others expressing concern over the implications of the character’s race change.
Mackie’s comments about the weight of becoming Captain America highlight the social and cultural significance of the character, especially when portrayed by a Black actor. It is a reminder that representation matters in media, and that the roles we see on screen can have a powerful impact on how we view ourselves and others.
As the MCU continues to expand and evolve, it will be interesting to see how the character of Captain America develops under Mackie’s portrayal and how it reflects the changing social landscape of our world.
Tags:
- Anthony Mackie
- Captain America
- Chris Evans
- Marvel
- Avengers
- Superheroes
- Comic books
- Diversity
- Hollywood
- Controversy
#Anthony #Mackies #Controversial #Captain #America #Quote #Mirrors #Chris #Evans #Comics
Bob Mackie’s work with Cher, Carol Burnett, Miley Cyrus spotlighted in new doc
A Bob Mackie outfit is not hard to spot, and chances are you’ve seen plenty of them over the years, whether they’ve been worn by Cher, Miley Cyrus or on “The Carol Burnett Show.”
As talented are these performers are on their own, many say Mackie’s iconic designs made them the stars that they are today. Even Elton John once said in an interview that his career wouldn’t have been what it was if it wasn’t for the fashion designer’s colorful and vibrant looks, such as the sequined LA Dodgers uniform and the Donald Duck outfit.
Filmmaker Matthew Miele is of the same opinion, and it’s why he pursued “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion,” a documentary all about the designer that spotlights several of his career-defining looks and the stars who wore them. The film will screen at the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, running Jan. 2 through 13. Miele and Mackie, a Palm Springs resident, will hold a Q&A after the screening on Jan. 11.
Mackie said in a recent interview with The Desert Sun that he’s been approached about doing a documentary on his work several times in the past, but it was only possible with Miele who “had the right attitude.”
“He wanted to tell a story about a person. Not just, oh la la la, isn’t he wonderful and all that sort of nonsense. It’s really about someone who does that for a job,” Mackie said. “I’m very serious about my work. Everyone says, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun? Is it fun doing what you do for a living?’ And I say, yes, but it’s important to do it right.”
Mackie and Miele spoke with The Desert Sun about their experience working on the documentary and what lessons they hope people take from Mackie’s decades-spanning career.
Collaborations with Cher, Carol Burnett
Mackie knew he wanted to pursue costume design ever since he was a child.
He said he loved seeing stars like Carmen Miranda and Betty Grable dressed up in their expressive outfits and was a big fan of musicals of the 1940s and 1950s, which, in particular, featured vibrant designs.
“When I was about 11, I went to see ‘An American in Paris.’ When I saw the ballet (scene), I thought, ‘Oh I think I can do that kind of work,’” Mackie said. “That’s when I got really serious about it in school. I kept pushing forward until I got my first job in Hollywood.”
He first worked for Paramount Studios as a sketch artist, and then for legendary costume designer Edith Head in the 1960s. But he truly made a name for himself with the looks he designed for the television series “The Sonny and Cher Show” and “The Carol Burnett Show.” Fans of the “Gone with the Wind” spoof from Burnett’s variety show will likely never forget the outlandish curtain dress she donned, which was all thanks to Mackie. He also designed costumes for several films and was nominated for three Academy Awards.
His decades-long collaboration with Cher also put more eyes on his work. He dressed her in several iconic looks, including her 1986 Oscars “revenge” outfit, which included a towering feathered headpiece and black jewel-encrusted bralette and matching low-rise side-slit skirt, and the “naked dress” she wore to the 1974 Met Gala (made of a see-through mesh with sequins and feathers).
If you’re not already impressed, Mackie even made the original sketch for Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy birthday, Mr. President” dress when he was just 23.
“I’m very serious about knowing what the performer looks like, how they perform, how they move, how they dance, what the audience wants to see when they go to see them, whether it’s Las Vegas or Broadway,” Mackie said. “I think it’s good for the audience to be surprised and be like, ‘Oh wow, look at that.’”
“Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” gets to the heart of several of those iconic looks by dissecting the designs with Mackie and hearing from stars Cher, Burnett, Cyrus (who donned a Mackie-designed outfit at the 2024 Grammy Awards), drag queen RuPaul, the late Mitzi Gaynor and others what it was like to actually wear those outfits.
“I’ve been really lucky, I’ve had the best clients ever,” Mackie said. “I have people that I really admire, and I admire their work ethic and talent.”
Making ‘Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion’
Filmmaker Miele was similarly inspired by glitz and glam when he was younger, but in a unique way.
While he admits he’s not a “fashion person” whatsoever, he’s always been fascinated by what happens behind the scenes. What always stood out to him were the Bergdorf Goodman holiday window displays, which he described as full of heart, whimsy and optimism that fueled his passion. One of his early films, “Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s,” is all about those displays and the people behind them.
Miele said he had a similar response when he became familiar with Mackie’s work.
“The same thing happened with me when I was watching television at home or movies where you see these iconic people come out in their outfits and the construction of the garment and what it does for the film or television show it’s part of,” Miele said. “You see these amazing things, and suddenly you see a common denominator: Bob Mackie.”
The goal of “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” was to give viewers a glimpse into the man behind the clothes, the director said. The documentary follows Mackie two years before the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and one year after, and shows the designer interacting with his two great-grandchildren and ex-wife LuLu Porter, attending the Met Gala and continuing his work with some of the biggest stars of today.
Miele said securing all of the celebrity interviews wasn’t too difficult because so many people wanted to praise the designer and his work. Speaking with Cher was special because “when she says, ‘I really don’t care what people think,’ you believe it. She’s put herself out there in really daring things, and Bob is a big part of that. It’s such a refreshing thing to hear.”
Gaynor was “a real highlight” as well because she is a “spitfire who you don’t see coming,” Miele said. He added that she was important to have in the film because she was Mackie’s first big star client and “really put him on the map.”
Much like many of the people he dressed, Mackie said he’s surprised himself at times with his designs. One of those moments includes seeing Cher on the cover of Time Magazine in 1975 wearing his naked dress, “looking very glamorous and very much not at all like people that are on the cover of Time Magazine.”
Honoring Mackie’s icon status
In the end, the documentary became more than just a showcase of Mackie’s work.
Miele said he wanted to pay gratitude to Mackie for his upbringing and bringing so many creative creations to life. What also really struck the director was that each of the interviewees also recognized how special and important Mackie’s work has been for pop culture and their careers.
“One of the secrets of the clothes is it does allow these people to become the stars that they became and allow us to enjoy them in that image of them over the years,” Miele said. “Without that, I don’t think Elton John is the charismatic performer he is. I don’t think Cher is as revered as she is around the world for her clothing and iconic status that she’s attained. I don’t think Carol Burnett’s show is half as what it should have been without Bob’s input on costuming.”
Mackie was quite moved to hear what many of his clients had to say about his work, especially John.
“Elton John played the piano and sang, and then all of a sudden he says in the documentary, if I hadn’t dressed up, my career would have taken on a whole other mood and look than it has now,” Mackie said. “That was very inspirational for me. Like it was fun to become somebody that’s visually interesting as well as musically.”
If you go
What: “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
When/where: 12:45 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs
Cost: $20 (tickets on standby)
More info:www.psfilmfest.org
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
Bob Mackie is a legendary fashion designer known for his extravagant and show-stopping creations. His work with iconic stars such as Cher, Carol Burnett, and Miley Cyrus has solidified his status as one of the most influential designers in the entertainment industry.A new documentary is set to shine a spotlight on Mackie’s collaborations with these three powerhouse women, showcasing his incredible talent and creativity. From Cher’s jaw-dropping Bob Mackie-designed costumes for her Las Vegas residency to Carol Burnett’s unforgettable wardrobe on “The Carol Burnett Show,” Mackie’s work has left a lasting impression on pop culture.
The documentary will also explore Mackie’s more recent collaborations with Miley Cyrus, including her bold and daring looks for various red carpet events and performances. Mackie’s ability to push the boundaries of fashion and create unforgettable moments for his clients is truly unparalleled.
Fans of fashion, music, and entertainment won’t want to miss this in-depth look at Bob Mackie’s incredible career and his impact on some of the biggest names in showbiz. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting new documentary!
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Bob Mackie, Cher, Carol Burnett, Miley Cyrus, documentary, fashion, costume design, Hollywood, iconic collaborations, celebrity style, fashion history, red carpet looks, iconic designers, entertainment industry, behind the scenes, fashion icons, legendary partnerships, iconic costumes, Hollywood legends, fashion documentary, TV specials
#Bob #Mackies #work #Cher #Carol #Burnett #Miley #Cyrus #spotlighted #doc
