As it turns out, Anthony Mackie wasn’t kidding when he once joked that if he were a Disney princess, he’d be Cinderella, “Cuz she broke, homie. She represents me. Yo!” On a more serious note, though, the Falcon-turned-Captain America actor shared his thoughts on the evolving landscape of the film industry.
Mackie voiced his concerns about the fading era of true movie stars, noting that Hollywood no longer seems to produce larger-than-life figures like it once did. Instead, he observed that today’s actors are often treated as interchangeable, working for significantly lower pay than the stars of previous generations. And that is really something to think about!
Anthony Mackie mourns the death of “movie stars” in Hollywood!
Anthony Mackie isn’t the first to point out that true movie stars are becoming rare. Back in the day, names like Stallone, De Niro, or Denzel could sell out theaters on their own. But now? That isn’t the case so much.
As Mackie put it, “Who’s our De Niro?” In the latest episode of The Pivot Podcast, Mackie talked about it all, he explained,
It is interesting now because the category of acting has changed. Like, Hollywood doesn’t make stars anymore. Think about it, when we were kids, we had Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Denzel, Wesley Snipes, Pacino, De Niro, you could name 50 dudes, and I’m not even talking about the women , who were making 10-20 million dollars a movie. Now, who’s our De Niro?
In today’s Hollywood, franchises have become the real box office draw, outshining individual stars. Even Marvel’s biggest names, despite their massive success in the MCU, have struggled to lead non-franchise films to similar heights.
It’s not that great talent is missing, it’s just harder for actors to stand out. He further pointed out,
I think social media is a big part of it, but also a big part of it is jsut pay. Like, there’s nobody out there busting out making 10 million a movie, like it’s just not happening. But ticket prices are going up, it’s $25 to go to a movie, whereas when we were young, it was $8. They were making $20 million a movie, now we’re making 5 to 7, so there’s a huge disparity. Where does the extra money go? So it is interesting to look, if you don’t make huge stars, you can pay them less.
Anthony Mackie further reflected on how short-lived fame has become in Hollywood, in his words, every few years, a young actor, typically a 21- to 25-year-old white guy, rises to fame, enjoys a brief five-year run, and then fades into the background, popping up in a State Farm commercial or a movie with Anne Hathaway before disappearing altogether.
He pointed out that many people in the industry confuse being a celebrity with being an actor, and that often derails careers. With social media driving fast fame and Hollywood relying heavily on franchises, achieving long-term success has become increasingly rare.
How much did Anthony Mackie get paid for his MCU run so far? (Estimate)
Anthony Mackie is among the ones who are here to stay. And his steady rise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe proves just that!
When Mackie first entered the franchise as Sam Wilson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014, his paycheck wasn’t exactly sky-high. Reports suggest he earned around $100,000 for Avengers: Age of Ultron. But as Falcon’s role grew, so did Mackie’s wallet. By the time Avengers: Infinity War came along, his earnings had reportedly jumped to $4 million!
The real game-changer came with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Not only did the Disney+ series crown Sam Wilson as the new Captain America, but it also gave Mackie’s paycheck a serious boost. Word has it he earned around $475,000 per episode, totaling roughly $2.85 million for the season.
Now, Mackie is stepping into the shoes of an Avenger full fledged, in Captain America: Brave New World. Rumor has it he has pocketed a hefty $10 million check, though Mackie’s recent comments suggest that figure might be a stretch. While the exact numbers may never be confirmed, one thing’s certain: Mackie is well on his way to becoming a star in his own right.
Captain America: Brave New World is playing in theaters
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