Anthony Mackie tiptoes back statement about Captain America not representing America

We’re currently living in an America that Captain America would be ashamed to represent. That seems like a pretty obvious take, but it’s still a tricky one for an actor, especially one without the protection of a magic shield, to put into the world right now. Anthony Mackie still had superheroic strength for trying. “For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations,” the actor said while promoting Captain America: Brave New World this week, per Variety. “It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.”

It’s clear what (and who) Mackie was really alluding to here, and the Marvel machine seemed to know it too. The actor took to Instagram today to roll back some of his statements, writing on his story: “Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like [Captain America] is the honor of a lifetime. I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. [Captain America] has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to.”

Mackie is hardly the first actor to brush up against Hollywood’s general stubbornness around the issue of President Trump. There wasn’t a single actor slated for Variety‘s Actors on Actors series willing to speak with Mackie’s The Falcon And The Winter Soldier co-star Sebastian Stan about his role in The Apprentice. Fellow Disney star Rachel Zegler also took to social media to apologize for posting “Fuck Donald Trump” after Megyn Kelly and others called her out. 

Of course, we don’t know exactly what went down behind the scenes in any of these situations, and there isn’t a total gag order on speaking about the current administration. Stan was nominated for an Oscar for The Apprentice, so some interrogation of Trump’s life and legacy is definitely possible. Still, it’s hard to ignore how many actors seem to be rolling back their critiques almost immediately after sharing them. It’s about time for the real Captain America—the one that represents honor, dignity, and integrity—to fly in and set this country straight.