Actor Anthony Mackie said he’s “a proud American” as he responded to backlash against him for saying he didn’t believe “the term America” was one of the things that represented the superhero Captain America, who represents things like “honor, dignity, and integrity.”
In a post on Tuesday on the Marvel star’s Instagram Stories, Mackie wrote, “Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP [Captain America] is the honor of a lifetime.”
“I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country,” he added. “CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to.”
The original comments came while Mackie, whose character Sam Wilson has now taken over the Captain America role, was on a press tour in Rome and was asked about his role in the new Disney movie “Captain America:…