He may have been a relative unknown before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but these days, Anthony Mackie makes plenty of his own headlines.
His rise to fame is well-documented, but he seems to just now be learning about cancel culture and how it could impact his career.
What Did Anthony Mackie Do That's So Bad?
The short answer is that some fans got riled up after reading an interview Mackie gave. In it, Mackie disagreed with fans that Sam Wilson should date Bucky Barnes. Anthony noted that he's aiming to show "a sensitive masculine figure" having authentic friendship and being emotional without being gay.
He elaborated that despite the "ship" for Bucky and Sam, "Sam and Steve had a relationship where they admired, appreciated and loved each other. Bucky and Sam have a relationship where they learn how to accept, appreciate and love each other. You’d call it a bromance, but it’s literally just two guys who have each other’s backs."
In short, he's saying, Bucky and Sam aren't gay -- or if they are, they're not interested in each other. And that's fine because they're friends, and friendship matters, too. Right?
What Do Fans Say About Firing Anthony Mackie?
There are opinions on both sides of the matter, of course. On one hand, some say that Anthony's "word salad" is just covering up homophobia. They say that he's insinuating some group is trying to "rationalize" themselves and that there's nothing wrong with that.
Further, that group of fans states that Anthony "hates gay people" and that he should definitely be fired from Marvel and publicly canceled.
But other fans point to the quote where Mackie literally calls being gay "pure and beautiful." They lean on the fact that Anthony said that "homosexuality has been exploited by people" (albeit those people who are are "trying to rationalize themselves").
That group of fans thinks that Mackie was just annoyed about the ship that Marvel didn't intend. They elaborate that Anthony is refuting the fact that any sensitive male is automatically gay.
Are Fans In The Right To Cancel Anthony Mackie?
Some see Mackie as defending his friendship, and it's true he's been close with pals like Sebastian Stan for a long time. Maybe he's quipping based on his real-life relationship. And the way that people "ship" him with people he's not romantically interested in outside of the MCU, too.
Anthony also does not like that people call the on-screen friendship a "bromance," because dudes can be good friends without adding "romance." It sounds like he's saying that romanticizing friendship is hurtful to gay partners' relationships in some way, and some fans relate to that.
The bottom line? It all comes down to interpretation, and what fans glean from the words Anthony actually says. So who's right, and who's wrong, and does the situation warrant 'canceling' him from the MCU?