One of Captain America: Brave New World's biggest actors gave his unfiltered opinion of people vocal about Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson taking over the mantle of Captain America. Unfortunately, the entire MCU fanbase has not accepted Anthony Mackie becoming Captain America since Steve Rogers gave Sam Wilson the shield in Avengers: Endgame. One particular side of the fanbase has been outspoken about Sam Wilson representing America in the franchise, with both the character and Mackie himself receiving some backlash.
Carl Lumbly, who portrays Isaiah Bradley in Captain America: Brave New World and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, recently spoke out against those people who won't accept Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. Lumbly referenced his own experiences and didn't hold back when addressing that group of people, letting his true emotions be known.
Specifically, in an interview with Michael Winn Johnson at Reel School (shared via YouTube), Lumbly was asked what he would say to the people who can't accept that Sam Wilson has become Captain America. The tenured actor revealed that "he would speak to [his] experience of living in this country as a person with skin like Sam" and as a person who wholeheartedly believes that he is "part of 'We the People,'" citing the United States Constitution.
Lumbly then brought up the experiences of his own family, particularly his parents, the challenges they faced, and how "they made a difference:"
"It's an excellent question and I don't know what I would say. I guess I would speak to my experience of living in this country as a person with skin like Sam, as an individual who, like Isaiah [Bradley], wants to be, and believes he is, part of 'We the people,' and that these ideals, which drew my parents from a small island to come to this country at a time when those those principles were under challenge, they came, and they made a difference, not only because of who they were, and what they did, but what they encouraged people all around them to do including those who were more melanin-challenged."
The Captain America: Brave New World star then revealed he believes some people are "obsessed" when it comes to "denying a truth that makes us all brothers and sisters:"
"I would say it runs the continuum from madness to silliness to be as obsessed as this republic continues to be about denying a truth that makes us all brothers and sisters and I don't have any interest in delusion nor do many, many black people, who live a certain kind of reality. Perhaps those individuals who feel such fear are worried about their safety, but the fact that other people are not safe does not make you more safe. Unfortunate if you can't embrace it, but it's reality."
Lumbly gave a specific example about someone crossing "a busy freeway" before revealing that he is "tired of the kind of hurt" that some communities experience in America:
"That's why you look both ways before you cross a busy freeway, because you may feel you're invincible, but there's a reality that if you know a vehicle moving at 65 miles an hour if it strikes you, and you're going to resist, you will be gone. It makes no sense. I don't want to see anyone hurt, but I am definitely tired of the kind of hurt that the dispossessed, and the poor, and the marginalized communities in this republic go through, because it reduces the great potential that exists within our body politic, within our society."
Lumbly had a few words of advice for people who aren't accepting of Sam Wilson's version of Captain America and other views they have in similar situations, but he ultimately theorized that their feelings come down to "fear:"
"So, I would say to them, be where you are... I don't believe you can be forced into a different position, but you're not seeing reality as I know it and I'm sorry for you. Perhaps you should go talk to someone or... what's that wonderful phrase... 'Speak amongst yourselves,' because I think those individuals share something in common with the other individuals who can't accept it, and I think it's fear."
Lumbly plays Isaiah Bradley in Captain America: Brave New World, which is streaming on Disney+. Alongside Mackie and Lumbly, the film stars Harrison Ford (Thaddeus Ross), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres), and Shira Haas (Ruth Bat-Seraph).
Anthony Mackie Is Here To Stay
Since becoming the new Captain America, Anthony Mackie has received quite a bit of backlash, but fortunately, Marvel Studios and the tenured MCU actor have not let it affect the character's future.
Marvel Studios already confirmed that Mackie will play a role in Avengers: Doomsday. It is also worth noting that Sam Wilson was mentioned in the latest MCU entry, Thunderbolts*, in a scene that could set up a major conflict between Sam and another longtime MCU character in the future.
Sam Wilson will also likely show up in Avengers: Secret Wars, and there is no reason for him not to continue to play the character for years to come.
Ultimately, Mackie has already made an impact on the MCU with his version of Captain America, and it seems as though he will continue to make a difference in the future as he appears in more projects as the franchise's symbol of America.
Lumbly has commented on Isaiah Bradley's future, too, revealing what he believes the next step for his character should be.
