Actor Anthony Mackie has addressed the future of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Mackie reiterated his stance in a recent interview with Inverse, saying that he does not believe the abuse allegations without additional evidence.
Mackie remarked in the interview, “We’re a country that was built on ‘everyone is innocent until proven guilty.'” That’s a typical American staple. This guy’s veracity has yet to be established. Nothing. To that end, presumption of innocence applies to everyone. I have nothing further to add. Our current social situation is really insane. Everyone in this country is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assault and harassment accusations led to Majors’ arrest in March. A 911 call from the actor’s residence in Manhattan’s Chelsea district reported a domestic quarrel between the actor and a woman in her 30s. According to Variety, since then, multiple alleged abuse victims in Manhattan have come forward and offered their cooperation to the district attorney’s office.
The legal team representing Majors has refuted the woman’s claims. Majors claimed he was the victim in the dispute and filed a police report the day following his court hearing. Majors’ domestic abuse case following his arrest in March will go to trial this summer. The next scheduled hearing before Judge Rachel Pauley is on August 3.
After hearing of the actor’s arrest and subsequent claims, his talent agency Entertainment 360 and public relations firm The Lede Company both dropped him. The U.S. Army likewise stopped airing commercials starring the actor.
Mackie recounted his persistence in approaching Marvel regarding the role of Black Panther elsewhere in his discussion with Inverse. “I had written them letters,” he explained. I was scheming out a plan to convince them to develop a Black Panther movie. I grew up idolizing Black Panther and always wanted to be him.
After meeting with Marvel producer Nate Moore and filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo, Mackie found out he had been cast as Falcon.
“Joe Russo said, ‘Listen, so we’re doing this movie,’ and those were the words I’ll never forget. We’d love for you to take part. We can’t reveal who else will be in it or what role you’ll play. What do you think? That’s all I remember,” Mackie said. That’s when I decided, ‘You know what, I like y’all men. Sure, I’ll take care of it. I’m in for this journey with you.
In addition, the actor talked about filling in for Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: Brave New World, Harrison Ford. Mackie was nervous on the first day of filming Captain America despite having worked with Ford before (in Hollywood Homicide in 2003).
I was so freaked out that I completely blanked on my lines. Mackie exclaimed, “He’s Harrison Ford, you jackass.” There’s a special vibe around him. But, being the cool man that he is, he swiftly dispels that notion. He embodies every desirable quality in a movie star. Let’s go ahead and take this turd out, he’d say. And everyone was like, “Hell yeah, let’s shoot this crap.” We had a lot of quality time together. Ross and Cap had always had the same kind of relationship: they liked and respected each other, but they also constantly butted heads. In the narrative, their relationship is like that.
Recently, Mackie took time away from the MCU to appear and serve as executive producer on the Peacock series Twisted Metal. A few months ago, he explained to Rolling Stone that he accepted the position because he was “looking for something different.”