Mcu Fans Divided After Anthony Mackie Says Captain America Doesn T Represent America

Mackie, who plays the Sam Wilson incarnation of Cap, delivered his controversial remarks during a press event in Rome, Italy. A video clip from the session then made its way online via local Instagram account redheadsdiaries, before spreading across the wider social media scene with super-soldier-like speed. In the clip, Mackie emphasizes the Sentinel of Liberty’s personal qualities over his affiliation with the USA. “For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things,” Mackie said. “And I don’t think the term, y’know, ‘America,’ should be one of those representations. It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.” Predictably, an online brouhaha – complete with dueling factions reminiscent of those found in Brave New World‘s predecessor, Captain America: Civil War – has now erupted among MCU devotees. “You DON’T THINK America is something CAPTAIN AMERICA should represent?” wrote one outraged Instagram user. “That’s LITERALLY PART OF HIS ORIGIN. Christ, how hard is it for you woke individuals to just portray the character accurately according to the comic?” “Strange take,” echoed a similarly unimpressed Marvelite on X (formerly Twitter). “Captain America literally has America in the name and represents American values of freedom, justice, and standing up for what’s right. Why try to separate that? The character’s whole origin is tied to WWII America.” “Can’t believe I’m siding with chuds on this one, but this is pretty stupid from him,” chimed in another. “Captain America represents the IDEAL of what America CAN be.” For their part, Mackie’s supporters largely pointed to Cap’s history of fighting for the American Dream, not the country’s institutions. As one of the MCU veterans’ defenders put it, “He’s not saying Captain America isn’t an ‘American,’ he’s saying the character embodies the characteristics of AMERICA. Honor. Integrity. Dignity. If you described American ideals you wouldn’t say America, morons. Even in the movies, Cap routinely went against the [US Government].” Meanwhile, a commenter on the original Instagram post noted Mackie was “[giving] his pitch of the film’s broader themes to a room of Europeans,” potentially explaining why he put a less US-centric spin on things. Captain America: Brave New World arrives in cinemas on Feb. 14, 2025.