MW 'Captain America' star Anthony Mackie says he turns to his hometown New Orleans for 'normalcy'

By Kelsi Karruli

Is his property portfolio as Marvel-ous as his new superhero role?

Anthony Mackie has some big shoes (and shields!) to fill as he takes on the iconic role of Captain America in the upcoming Marvel movie "Captain America: Brave New World." In it, he picks up the red, white, and blue torch from his former co-star Chris Evans.

Though Mackie, 46, who hails from New Orleans, has long been a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe-or, MCU-he has, until now, been resigned to the role of sidekick.

But the latest installment in the comic book-inspired film franchise will place the actor front and center, focusing on his character, Sam Wilson, as he carries on the Captain America legacy, having been left the iconic shield by its former holder, Steve Rogers, played by Evans.

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Mackie's career in Hollywood dates back more than 20 years. However, this latest role is arguably his most anticipated and has seen the actor thrust into the very center of the spotlight like never before.

And the glare of that spotlight has already turned up the heat on the star, after he faced backlash from fans for saying that Captain America should not be considered as a representation of America, before adding that the character is a man "who has honor, dignity, and integrity," leading some to believe that he does not see those values in the country.

Some even threatened to boycott the movie when it is released on Feb. 14.

Thankfully for Mackie, he has a refuge from the tempestuous world of Hollywood-having turned his back on Los Angeles living in 2008 in favor of moving to his hometown of New Orleans.

His relocation, he later told Esquire, might have "slowed down" his career, but it gave him more "confidence" and "peace of mind."

While he may not reside within the glitz and glam of Hollywood, Mackie's New Orleans property boasts a charming aesthetic that certainly symbolizes the "dependability" that he is set to represent on the big screen and offers him the sense of "normalcy" he craved when living in California.

The actor grew up in New Orleans and later relocated to New York City to study acting at The Juilliard School.

However, by 2008, he had enough of the big city and decided to head back to his hometown, where he purchased a charming home set on a half-acre lot.

It's unclear how much Mackie paid for that property, which Realtor.com now estimates is worth $783,995.

According to property records, Mackie owns two other New Orleans homes, which were purchased through an LLC.

One of those properties boasts three bedrooms and two bathrooms and was built in 2017. It's unclear how much Mackie forked over for the home, which Realtor.com estimates is now worth $377,000.

The actor's other New Orleans property sprawls across 3,600 square feet.

But while he relocated back to New Orleans, property records indicate that he still has a hideaway in New York City: a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment in Brooklyn, which is still registered to his name.

Mackie purchased the condo in 2006 for $370,000. In September 2017, the home was listed for $900,000, then removed from the market just 12 days later.

In November 2022, the home was made available to lease for $4,795 a month. That property listing was removed a month later.

Mackie also ran a business in the Big Apple: a bar called NoBar in Brooklyn from 2011 to 2015.

He opened the bar, he revealed to O Magazine, because he couldn't find a spot in his neighborhood where he could "chill" and "watch football."

Mackie walked away from that venture in 2015, just one year after he made his Marvel debut in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

Still, he seems to have no regrets about taking a step back from New York City living, telling Esquire of his decision to move back to New Orleans: "Moving to New Orleans slowed my career in a way. But it also gave me the peace of mind and the confidence, being outside of the business, that I can bring a natural humanity into my roles and the things that I do."

Mackie also revealed that it helped give him a "sense of normalcy," which he wanted for his four sons, aged 8 to 15, whom he shares with ex-wife Sheletta Chapital.

"I've always kept my personal life out of the business. I don't allow people to photograph my kids. I don't bring my kids around. I want my kids to be normal," he explained.

Because he adores his New Orleans home so much, the A-lister even tried to bring the acting world over by opening his own movie studio.

In 2022, Mackie closed a deal on 20 acres of land in New Orleans East in hopes of building his movie studio, East Studios LLC.

The land is believed to be located at the intersection of Interstate 10 Service Road and Read Boulevard, which is near the Little Woods neighborhood.

The property is set to become Louisiana's first "end-to-end" studio, responsible for the entire production process, and will help develop the film industry in the state.

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It is unclear when the movie studio will be completed.

The A-lister has already brought the film industry to Louisiana with his Netflix $(NFLX)$ movie "We Have a Ghost" and Peacock TV series "Twisted Metal."

The actor's love for his hometown is apparent in his work, with his "Twisted Metal" co-star Stephanie Beatriz even telling the outlet that the one thing the cast knew was that he "loves" New Orleans.

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When he isn't showing off his acting chops, he is helping give back to his community. In 2022, The "Captain America" star helped rebuild and repair roofs in the New Orleans area following Hurricane Ida.

"Just seeing the community's response, seeing the people in the neighborhood, and finally getting back to some sort of normalcy since the last storm, Ida, which was last year, it has been a great experience," the actor told People magazine at the time.

Mackie-who is the son of a roofer-explained that he understands the importance of what goes over your head.

He told the outlet: "Your roof is just the first stepping stone to everything that covers your home. So when your roof has water damage, your insulation gets wet. When your insulation gets wet, your sheetrock gets wet. When your sheetrock gets wet, it falls into your house. It's just step after step after step of disaster."

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As the release date for "Captain America: Brave New World," inches closer, Mackie is attempting to rid himself of recent controversy, which came after he made a slew of comments about his character while on a press tour in Rome.

"To me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don't think the term 'America' should be one of those representations.

"It's about a man who keeps his word. Who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable," he said before branding the role a "dream coming true."

His comments raised eyebrows as some fans claimed it was a "strange take" and even called for a "boycott" of the film.

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Following the backlash, Mackie clarified his comments in a statement made on social media: "Let me be clear about this, I'm a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP is the honor of a lifetime.

"I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to."

"Captain America: Brave New World" also stars Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, and Giancarlo Esposito.

This story originally ran on Realtor.com.

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February 11, 2025 05:02 ET (10:02 GMT)

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