Avengers, Assemble–to honor the birthday of Anthony Mackie! Best known for his performance as Sam Wilson (AKA The Falcon) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mackie’s history as a science fiction and fantasy actor is actually an interesting one.
Born in 1978, Mackie hails from New Orleans, and studied at the legendary Juiliard School, where he graduated alongside the likes of Tracie Thoms and Lee Pace. He began his career treading the boards in various Broadway and Off Broadway productions, for which he won critical acclaim. Making his acting debut in the Eminem biopic 8 Mile, Mackie made a name for himself in pictures such as The Hurt Locker, Brother to Brother, We Are Marshall, and Spike Lee’s She Hate Me.
Mackie’s debut in the MCU as Sam Wilson, the military veteran who threw his lot in with fellow soldier Steve Rogers, came in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. An empathetic veteran wrestling demons of his own, such as the loss of a comrade in arms while serving, Wilson and Rogers swiftly bonded, securing his role as a lead player in future films. Mackie’s portrayal of Wilson led him to become a fixture in future films like Avengers: Age of Ultron, and feature prominently in movies like Captain America: Civil War and Ant Man, which featured his first solo performance as a primary MCU character. Now a full fledged member of the core cast, Mackie and Sam took center stage with Bucky Barnes in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and in the aftermath of Avengers: Infinity War, Mackie is slated to take up the mantle of Captain America himself in the upcoming Captain America 4. currently in pre-production.
However, Mackie didn’t begin his forays into the MCU exclusively as Sam Wilson–Mackie initially auditioned for Rhodey in the original Iron Man, and later for the role of Trevor Slattery in Iron Man 3. Prior to even that, however, Mackie was a known presence in genre media through one of his earlier roles was in The Adjustment Bureau, with subsequent parts in films like Real Steel and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. He has also moved forward into sci fi with appearances in series like Black Mirror and Altered Carbon.
We here at SciFi.Radio salute Anthony Mackie on his special day, and wish him nothing but happiness and good fortune in the years ahead!
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Liz Carlie (she/her/he/him) is a regular book, TV, and film reviewer for SCIFI.radio and has previously been a guest on ‘The Event Horizon’. In addition to being an active member of the traditional fandom community, she’s also an active participant in online fan culture, pro wrestling journalism, and spreading the gospel of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She resides in Southern California with her aspiring superhero dog, Junior, enjoying life one hyperfixation at a time.
