Thursday, March 28, 2024

Anthony Mackie Says Race of ‘Black Panther’ Director Not Important

Actor Anthony Mackie attends the world premiere of Marvel's "Avengers: Age Of Ultron" at the Dolby Theatre on April 13, 2015 in Hollywood, California.
Actor Anthony Mackie attends the world premiere of Marvel’s “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” at the Dolby Theatre on April 13, 2015 in Hollywood, California.

*Anthony Mackie has irked Black Twitter for the second time this week.

Three days after saying he was “drinking the Kool-Aid” for Donald Trump (which he has since described as a bad joke), the actor is weighing in on the director search regarding “Black Panther.”

Marvel Studios is filming a live action version of its first black superhero to hit mainstream comics in 1966. Chadwick Boseman will star in the film, due in 2018. A director, however, has yet to be chosen.

And according to Mackie, the director’s racial background should not be a factor in Marvel’s decision.

“I don’t think it’s important at all,” Mackie said in an interview with the Daily Beast. “As a director your job is to tell a story. You know, they didn’t get a horse to direct Seabiscuit!”

He continued, “The thing is I don’t think the race of the director has to do with their ability to tell a story. I think it’s all about the director’s ability to be able to relate to that story and do it justice. I think men can direct women, and two of my greatest work experiences were with female directors. So I think it all depends. May the best man — or woman — win.”

Honoree Ava DuVernay speaks onstage during the 22nd Annual ELLE Women in Hollywood Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on October 19, 2015 in Los Angeles, California
Honoree Ava DuVernay speaks onstage during the 22nd Annual ELLE Women in Hollywood Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on October 19, 2015 in Los Angeles, California

So far, the studio took a meeting with at least one high-profile African-American filmmaker, Ava DuVernay. The “Selma” helmer circled the project but ultimately passed, saying she and Marvel “had different ideas about what the story would be,” according to EW.com.

Meanwhile, Mackie, who plays one of Marvel’s most visible big-screen black heroes in the Falcon, has again caused a backlash on Twitter over his opinion:

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