There's long been a discussion about actors taking on certain roles that may or may not reflect their personal experiences. Such talk has come into play a lot win regard to non-LGBTQ+ actors taking on such roles despite not being part of the community. Anthony Mackie is one of the stars who's done so, as he's portrayed gay characters. Now, he's sharing some insight as to why he wanted to play these characters despite his sexuality.
Anthony Mackie spoke about his career and a variety of other topics while appearing on the Pivot Podcast. While going over his various roles, he talked about his portrayal of Perry in Brother to Brother; specifically, why he accepted to portray a gay man, when he himself is not part of the LGBTQ+ community. Mackie explained that it, in great part, had to do with his personal experiences while coming of age in the south:
Growing up in the south in the ‘90s & ‘80s, you grew up homophobic, sexist and racist….that’s just a fact. So when I got to school, my roommate was gay, like I didn’t know how to deal with that. Like my brother is gay. I didn’t know how to deal with that.
For anyone not too familiar with all of Anthony Mackie's pre-MCU roles, Brother to Brother was released in 2004. The movie focuses on the struggles of young art student Perry, who is kicked out of his parents’ house because he is gay. One of the main themes of the movie is coming to terms with being in a world that doesn’t accept you as you are and learning to process that. Mackie is indeed effective in the role as well. He also said this about taking the part:
So being a man, I used my art to better myself. I played Perry so that I could understand my brother better, so I could understand my friends better. Going to art school, a bunch of my friends were gay.
It's true that art can indeed break down barriers and allow actors to learn new things not just about the world but themselves as well. Based on his comments, it seems the Twisted Metal star really wanted to not only do work on himself but better understand the people around him:
But with me, I needed to figure out what was my hold up, what was my insecurity about that. And once I played that role, I realized everybody deserves to be loved. It’s not my job to say who you love or who should love you, If you’re loved, I’m happy for you. Doesn’t mean I’m gay. So Perry was more a statement piece for me, with love and admiration for my brother, with the appreciation and respect for my friends, for that culture. I think it made me a better actor because I had to go so far outside the box.
In addition to Brother to Brother, the New Orleans native also played the role of Danny on the much-discussed "Striking Vipers," an episode of Black Mirror's (uneven) fifth season. Danny struggles with the confusing ambiguity of his sexuality when the lines are blurred using virtual reality technology. The episode itself received mixed reviews from critics.
One thing about Anthony Mackie is that he's quite vocal about his place within the entertainment landscape as well as his relationship to the roles he plays. That's been clear as he's promoted his 2025 movie schedule release Captain America: Brave New World. Mackie specifically made headlines when explaining what he thinks his character, Sam Wilson and by extension Cap, represents. Shortly after that bit of controversy, he also addressed those who were trying to politicize the Marvel film.
Regardless of what you might think about Anthony Mackie's decision to play LGBTQ+ roles, it's fair to say hasn’t shied away from discussing his professional choices and owning them. He also does indeed commit to them as, based on his comments, Mackie put a great level of personal vulnerability into the role of Perry. It's rarely ever easy for people to put themselves on trial and acknowledging their own imperfections. Mackie's honesty for why he played Perry is admirable, and art can definitely serve as a means for people to grow.
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