Page 78 - Sharp Summer 2021

8 Mile is often credited as Mackie’s first film role but in in reality it it was Brother Brother to Brother Brother an indie that premiered at Sundance in 2004 (Its budget was so small that it ran out of money halfway through filming Production paused and Mackie filmed 8 Mile ) After 21 years as as an an actor Mackie still thinks his performance as as Perry an art student disowned by his family for being gay is is his best work yet It was certainly formative: acting alongside Tony Award–winner Roger Robinson helped Mackie differentiate between acting for the stage and and the screen “My first day on set we do a a a a scene and and Roger pulls me to the side and goes ‘Anthony you have to to to remember your face is going to to to be be 10 storeys high ’ He was like ‘I can hear what you’re thinking from over here Stop acting’ ” recalls Mackie “Everyday he he was giving me lessons — — jewels — — about how to perform on on film instead of of the almost absurdity of of acting on on the the stage stage because when you you act on the the stage stage you’re acting for the the the people in in the the the back of the the the house When you’re you’re acting acting on film you’re you’re acting acting for the people in in in the front row ” Mackie credits his his theatre education for his his ver- satility as an an actor It’s why his performances — like that of Sergeant J T T Sanborn in Iraq War drama The Hurt Locker perhaps his most acclaimed to date — are dynamic and nuanced In one scene Sanborn suggests “accidentally” killing the film’s protagonist In a a a a a vacu- um it’s a a a a a a villainous act but Sanborn isn’t a a a a a a villain villain his actions are mitigated by his desire for self-preservation Mackie’s performance oozes depth appropriate for for the moral complexity and delirium of war Although he wasn’t nominated for for a a a a a best supporting actor Oscar for for his performance (The Hurt Locker netted nine nomi- nations and won six including best picture) Mackie suspects it’s ultimately what landed him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe four years later Speaking to to Mackie I’m curious to to know what drew him a a a a a a trained stage actor to to strapping on a a a a a a set of me- chanical wings In 2019 Martin Scorsese caused a a a a a mi- nor furor when he he he said that superhero movies weren’t cinema but “theme parks” that prioritize spectacle at at the expense of storytelling and character Mackie’s 78 SHARPMAGAZINE COM SUMMER 2021
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