Anthony Mackie Never Had to Audition to Play Falcon in the MCU

The audition process can be grueling for actors, especially when it comes to big roles in major franchises. Tom Holland had to do several screen tests and beat out a horde of other young actors to get the part of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Pattinson’s audition for The Batman was a long and arduous ordeal. Of course, there are a few rare occasions where there no auditions at all, because the studio had someone in mind from the beginning and that particular actor agreed to take the role. Such is the case for Anthony Mackie and the character of Sam Wilson.

Mackie is one of the very few prominent actors in the MCU that never had an audition process, according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Ahead of the premiere of The Falcon and the Winter Solider, the MCU architect was asked by Variety about his earliest memory of Mackie.

“The first experience was him being the unanimous first choice to play the character. We just offered him the role, in my memory, he did not audition,” Feige said. “That’s only happened a handful of times at Marvel. Mr. Mackie was one of those times. I thought he would be great as this character. As we often do, when we’re casting, you cast for the immediate role at hand — which was Sam Wilson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but if it all goes well, that can grow and evolve into numerous things. You want an actor who can do it all, which of course, Anthony can.”

Feige didn’t elaborate on who the other audition-skippers are, other than to say that they are few and far between. When Marvel went to add Falcon to the MCU lineup, the producers already had their sights set on casting Mackie. There likely would have been an audition process for the role had he said no.

Fortunately, that’s a reality we don’t have to worry about living in. Mackie has played Sam Wilson for seven years now, and will continue to do so into the future.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will premiere on Disney+ on March 19th.