Anthony Mackie's journey as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's new Captain America has earned praise from fans, and now, from one of cinema's most celebrated actors. The actor recently recalled an unexpected interaction with Ian McKellen on the sets of Avengers: Doomsday, revealing that the veteran star wholeheartedly approved of his promotion to the iconic superhero mantle.
Speaking in an interview with IMDb, Mackie shared that he introduced himself to McKellen while filming the upcoming Marvel ensemble. Their conversation soon turned to the roles they were playing in the film, with McKellen asking Mackie which character he had returned as.
When Mackie replied that he was playing Captain America, McKellen's response left a lasting impression. "Wonderful... and you deserve that," the X-Men star told him, prompting Mackie to thank the veteran actor for the encouragement.
The exchange comes as Avengers: Doomsday marks McKellen's return as Magneto, bringing him together with MCU mainstays and several fellow X-Men actors in one of Marvel Studios' biggest crossover films to date.
McKellen recently made headlines for another behind-the-scenes anecdote from the film. Recalling the shooting of an action sequence at a film festival appearance in Rome, the actor said directors Joe and Anthony Russo wanted him to channel greater intensity while portraying Magneto's powers. To summon the required anger, McKellen imagined destroying Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, shouting its name while performing the scene.
Set to release on December 18, Avengers: Doomsday features Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, with returning MCU stars including Chris Hemsworth, Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Letitia Wright, Florence Pugh, Simu Liu, Vanessa Kirby and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The film also reunites several X-Men veterans, including Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming and Kelsey Grammer, alongside McKellen.
