Anthony Mackie calls out lack of diversity in Marvel film crews

Anthony Mackie has called out the lack of diversity behind the scenes on Marvel films.

The actor, who has starred in seven Marvel blockbusters as Sam Wilson/ Falcon, criticised the Disney-owned company for failing to have a diverse and inclusive crew behind the camera during an interview with Daveed Diggs as part of Variety's Actors on Actors series.

"It really bothered me that I've done seven Marvel movies now where every producer, every director, every stunt person, every costume designer, every PA, every single person has been white," he stated.

The 41-year-old went on to note that the only exception has been 2018's Black Panther, which was helmed by Ryan Coogler and featured a line-up of Black actors including Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, and Lupita Nyong'o.

"We've had one Black producer; his name was Nate Moore," he continued. "He produced Black Panther. But then when you do Black Panther, you have a Black director, Black producer, a Black costume designer, a Black stunt choreographer. And I'm like, that's more racist than anything else. Because if you only can hire the Black people for the Black movie, are you saying they're not good enough when you have a mostly white cast?"

Mackie explained that he was using his clout as the co-lead of Disney+'s upcoming TV show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to push for more inclusive hiring practices.

"My big push with Marvel, with everybody, is hire the best person for the job," Mackie said. "Because it starts to build a new generation of people who can put something on their resume to get them other jobs. If we've got to divvy out as a percentage, divvy it out. And that's something as leading men that we can go in and push for and push the envelope."