Anthony Mackie has been notorious for his not-so stellar interactions with fans over the years, but his latest incident has us wondering whether he and other famous figures should be a bit more willing to oblige — or should they just be left alone.
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It’s been an open secret for years now that Mackie isn’t a celeb that likes to be bothered by civilians to take pictures with them when he’s out and about. But in this new clip, he initially seemed to open to conversing as he could be seen chatting it up with a man sitting next to him.
All of a sudden, another random man comes around the corner and tries to interrupt their conversation by tapping the “Captain America” star on the shoulder. After a few taps and a clearly disinterested Mackie, the guy gets a clue and eventually walks off.
In the post to social media, the guy captioned the video: “When you go tell Captain America you’re a fan and get this response.”
Mackie has previously opened up about his decision to not entertain regular folks when he’s out in public, telling The Root in 2013: “I got into the game to be a working actor, not to be a celebrity. There’s a reason why I live in New Orleans or don’t go to certain restaurants and have my picture taken outside.”
He reiterated similar sentiments during a roundtable discussion with The Hollywood Reporter in 2024 where he said that implemented a no photos policy after fans previously used their pictures with him in a way that he didn’t deem acceptable. Additionally, when it comes to people feeling like he should expect people to react to him in that way given his celebrity status, Mackie pushed back.
“In this day and age, we literally learn to respect everyone’s no. So if I tell you no, respect it. And there’s a reason for that,” he said at the time.
But should he be giving his fans a bit more grace? On one hand, celebs like Mackie and others owe a lot of their success to the fans who buy tickets to see their productions or spend money to purchase their merch. So saying a quick “hello” and taking the time out to acknowledge a fan who will more than likely never get this moment again is just a small gesture of gratitude. Fame comes with certain tradeoffs and — contrary to what Mackie may think — being a bit more approachable is often part of the deal.
On the other hand though, celebs are still human beings and people who don’t automatically want to opt-in to always being everybody’s “role model” (looking at you, Michael Jordan). They still deserve privacy and the right to personal boundaries, especially when they’re off the clock and not in an environment where fan interactions are to be expected.
Constantly being “on” for strangers can take an emotional and mental toll and it can set an unfair standard that strips them of their own autonomy in which, instead of being viewed as a people and artists, they’re treated as public property.
However, if limiting how much he interacts with fans is really that big of an issue, Mackie may need to go the Beyonce and Justin Bieber route and start walking around with some security guards who can keep people at bay.
There’s a tight rope to walk when it comes to this, and hopefully Mackie and other celebs can figure out the best course of action that honors his personal boundaries all while not alienating himself from his fan base.
Straight From 
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