In an interview with Fandango, Mackie explained how he finds inspiration for his roles. The actor revealed his key factors for how he approaches playing Sam: “When I play a character, I do three specific things. I pick a piece of art that kind of encompᴀsses the genre and the story and the richness and background of the character that I want to compose. I pick a song that emotionally vibes with what… I’m trying to capture, and then my biggest thing is I pick a food because everybody eats, you know.”
Additionally, Mackie shared which artwork and food inspired his take on Captain America. As for the art, he bought a piece by Romare Bearden because it “defined and exemplified what Sam Wilson had become with Captain America.” Mackie said, however, that “food was the hardest part,” sharing how he landed on the food that represented Sam best:
“So I went to my local grocery store, and there’s this old dude who had been there forever. He makes the best boudin in the City of New Orleans… I was like ‘bro… I need a special Captain America boudin,’ and he made me some boudin sausage.
Mackie concluded that these three aspects add up to his portrayal of Captain America. He stated: “Now I have Captain America boudin, I have my Bearden, and I listen to ‘Trouble Man.‘
What Anthony Mackie’s Comments About Playing Captain America Mean
As for the song, “Trouble Man” was written by Marvin Gaye for the 1972 film of the same name. The core message of the song is summarized by the following line: “There’s only three things, that’s for sure, taxes, death, and trouble.” This lyric, which paraphrases a Benjamin Franklin quote, indicates the singer’s worldview, and thus, the mentality Mackie is channeling for Sam. Another key lyric that exemplifies Sam, especially as he became Captain America, is: “I come up hard, baby, I had to fight. Took care of my business with all my might.”
Our Take On Anthony Mackie’s Comments About Playing Captain America
