Part of The Avengers featuring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Mark Ruffalo.
Rise to Fame
He wasn't the obvious choice for the MCU. The first decade was stage work, an OBIE Award in 2002, and the antagonist role in 8 Mile. The Hurt Locker in 2009 is what changed things. He's said it directly: that film is why he got the Marvel audition. Captain America: The Winter Soldier introduced him to a global audience as Sam Wilson in 2014, but the path was paved by a decade most of that audience never saw.
In the Spotlight
He carries the Captain America shield now, which puts him in the unusual position of succeeding someone the internet still loves. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) made the case, pulling 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and becoming Disney+'s most-viewed series in April 2021. Captain America: Brave New World hit theaters in 2025 at 46% on Rotten Tomatoes, but critics separated the film's issues from Mackie's performance. The role upgraded anyway. The shield is his now.
Side Notes
His father ran a roofing business in New Orleans, and Mackie was originally pointed toward engineering school before a teacher reportedly redirected him to the stage. He attended Juilliard, roomed with Lee Pace, won an OBIE, and eventually became the face of the MCU. He uses his construction knowledge at the New Orleans bar he co-founded, raises his four sons in Louisiana rather than L.A., and talks openly about building a theater company back home. The franchise is his job. New Orleans is his life.