Summary
Anthony Mackie recalls how an “awful” director’s unreleased movie nearly cost him his career-making role inThe Hurt Locker. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, with a script written by Mark Boal, the2008 war moviefollows a bomb squad during the Iraq War who are targeted by insurgents, focusing on their psychological reactions to the stress of combat. Other than Mackie, the cast includes Jeremy Renner, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Guy Pearce, and Evangeline Lilly.
During a recent interview withVariety,Mackie recalled how an “awful” director’s unreleased movie nearly cost him his career-making role inThe Hurt Locker. Though he didn’t reveal the full name of the film or the director, it caused a scheduling conflict that prevented Mackie from doingThe Hurt Locker. However, when another actor declined the role due to insufficient pay, Bigelow returned to Mackie with an accommodating offer. Read his full comments below:
When I met with Kathryn, they wanted me to play one of the other soldiers, and I explained to her how war wasn’t about race; they’ll kill you whatever you look like. She saw what I was implying. And I was doing this movie that never came out with this awful director — his name was Dan, I won’t say his last name — and we go over by six months. I was supposed to leave to do “Hurt Locker.” Kathryn was like, “I’m sorry. Maybe the next one.” So they go and offer it to another actor, and he said no. So they came back to me like, “Look, we’ll wait, if you leave the day you wrap.” That movie literally started my career, because one dude said it wasn’t enough money.
How The Hurt Locker Made Anthony Mackie’s Career
Mackie’s Performance Was Widely Praised
Before 2008, Mackie was a much lesser-known actor than he is today, only appearing in8 Mile,Brother to Brother,The Manchurian Candidate,Sucker Free City,Million Dollar Baby, andHalf Nelson.The Hurt Lockeris credited with making Mackie’s career.The Hurt Lockerreviewspraised the film for its exceptional acting, intense cinematography, and action-packed sequences, rendering it one of the finest recent dramatizations of the Iraq War. The film was nominated for a total of nine Academy Awards, winning six for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay, Editing, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing.
Though only Renner received Oscar recognition with a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role,Mackie’s performance inThe Hurt Lockerwas widely praised as a standout. Mackie plays Sergeant J.T. Sanborn, a seasoned soldier in the bomb disposal unit, with his portrayal capturing the complexity of a soldier coping with the immense emotional pressures of warfare. Mackie’s on-screen chemistry with Renner, who plays Staff Sergeant William James, is also a crucial aspect of the film, evolving from initial tension and conflict to mutual respect and understanding.
Anthony Mackie’s Best Movies, Ranked
Best known for his role as Sam Wilson in the MCU, Anthony Mackie has appeared in a lot of great movies, including two Best Picture winners.
Mackie’s performance was praised by critics and audiences alike, bringing him to the attention of a wider audience and providing him with a significant career boost. If it weren’t for his role inThe Hurt Locker,Mackie would likely have never been cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Sam Wilson/Falcon, starting withCaptain America: The Winter Soldierin 2014. Mackie also collaborated again with Bigelow and Boal on the2017 filmDetroit. However, the name of the “awful” director whose unreleased movie nearly cost him his career-making role inThe Hurt Lockerremains a mystery.
The Hurt Locker
Cast
From director Kathryn Bigelow comes The Hurt Locker, the 2008 oscar winning war thriller film that follows Jeremy Renner as Sergeant William James and his bomb disposal team as they navigate beyond enemy lines during the Iraq War. The movie explores the trauma and stresses the soldiers face as they attempt to disarm active explosives on the field, with the repercussions beginning to take their toll on the squadmates.
