The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Veteran Marvel Studios Stunt Performer Aaron Toney Retires as Falcon Double

Longtime Marvel Studios stunt performer Aaron Toney, who has doubled for Sam Wilson star Anthony Mackie since 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is hanging up his wings with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. After announcing his retirement from the Falcon role on Instagram, Toney says it's "time for [him] to go" as Mackie's double. Toney has filled the winged super-suit on numerous installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Avengers: Endgame, where the veteran stunt performer doubled for Mackie and Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman. In March, Toney's time with the high-soaring Avenger will end when spin-off series Falcon and Winter Soldier releases on Disney+.

"Stunts is a young man and woman's game … I remember being the young 25-year-old kid in the room," Toney told the Joining All Movement JAMCast. "It was [Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest], I was the youngest kid in the room, and everyone was like, 'Who are you?' I was just bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and they were like, 'Is this your first job?' They were telling people, 'This is this kid's first job.' And being on that show was life-changing … It was great, it was a blessing."

15 years after the 2006 Pirates sequel, Toney has nine Marvel credits to his resume, including stunt roles on Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther. As Mackie's double, Toney has performed on MCU entries Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War.

"And now, go doing Falcon and Winter Soldier, and being the older guy in the room and seeing the young kids... for me, it's seeing David Warren in the room. The kid's amazing," Toney said of the Lovecraft Country and Falcon/Winter Soldier stunt performer. "I see him, and I'm the older guy. And I was like, 'Well, ain't this about a bitch (laughs).'"

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"But it was serendipitous because it was so beautiful. I went, 'Wow, 15 years ago I was the young guy. Now I'm the old guy in the room.' That was another reason [to retire from Marvel]," Toney said. "If I continue to be the old guy in the room, I love it, but I think it's time for me to go as this double. I threw everything that I've ever wanted to do at this character. I pushed, and I'm happy where I pushed, so I have no regrets."

Starring Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Brühl, Emily VanCamp, Erin Kellyman, and Wyatt Russell, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier begins streaming March 19 on Disney+.