Anthony Mackie Complains About Lack of Black People in Harry Potter, 1990’s Scotland

Movies

Well, folks, it looks like Anthony Mackie is complaining about something insignificant again.

Anthony Mackie, who previously starred as The Falcon and now Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has said:

“Harry Potter had no f***ing Black friends. Frodo walked across the entire universe and never met a Black dude. I want to see Frodo in the Hood, which if I ever do Saturday Night Live, is going to be a skit I’m going to do.”

Let’s break this down, sentence by sentence. The first sentence is already factually incorrect, and I am guessing Mr. Mackie never read the Harry Potter books and just watched the movies. The following characters are black and were fairly prominent throughout the series: Dean Thomas, Angelina Jonson, Lee Jordan, and Kingsley Schacklebolt. All four characters were minimized and/or removed from scenes in the films due to time constraints and prioritizing information needed. Naturally, a massive book like the last few in the series will make it very difficult to adapt to a movie.

Let’s take a look at the significance of these characters:

Dean Thomas was Ginny Weasley’s ex-boyfriend before Harry dated and eventually married her. Despite being Ginny’s ex, he and Harry got along well; they were roommates for six years! In fact, they were at Malfoy Manor together, where they had been kidnapped in the last book. Dean was removed from the scenes in the movie. He was always one of the few characters who defended Harry throughout ALL seven books and was brave enough to be one of the first members to join Dumbledore’s Army. He came back to fight at the Battle of Hogwarts with Luna, even when he didn’t even have a wand and needed to find a spare! How incredibly brave of Dean to show up to a battle without a wand, ready to protect Hogwarts against evil. But Harry doesn’t have any black friends, according to Mr. Mackie.

Angelina Johnson was a chaser on Harry’s original Quidditch team. In the fifth book, she becomes captain of the Gryffindor team and bosses Harry around and gives him a hard time! She was definitely giving off “girl boss” vibes. She is also an original member of Dumbledore’s Army. She came back to Hogwarts, even though she wasn’t a student, in Harry’s final year to protect Hogwarts. She later becomes Harry’s SISTER-IN-LAW by marrying George Weasley. That’s right; Harry’s sister-in-law is b l a c k. But Harry doesn’t have any black friends.

Lee Jordan was Fred and George Weasley’s best friend throughout their years in Hogwarts. Now, whilst Harry and Lee weren’t always hanging out, Lee, like Angelina and Dean, was an original member of Dumbledore’s Army. He was described as a fellow prankster with the Weasley twins and did the Quidditch commentary for Harry’s first five years at Hogwarts. He fought against Dolores Umbridge’s tyranny in his final year at Hogwarts, and, like Angelina, he came back to fight at the Battle of Hogwarts. He was also a host of Potterwatch, a radio show that defied Voldemort’s ruling of the Wizarding World in the UK.

Kingsley Shacklebolt is an Auror at the Ministry of Magic and risked his life by secretly being in the Order of the Phoenix and participating in the secret moving of Harry from Privet Drive twice! He later becomes Minister for Magic after the fall of Voldemort! That is the highest title in the Wizarding government! Mr. Mackie, are you telling me that a black man being Minister for Magic doesn’t impress you?

These small descriptions of the four characters alone tell me that Anthony Mackie has never read Harry Potter in his life. I am also wondering if he ever took a history and geography lesson. The books were based in the U.K. in the 1990s; in fact, Hogwarts is located in Scotland, where the population was mostly white. Let’s move onto his other sentences: “Frodo walked across the entire universe and never met a Black dude.” Now while I have never read The Lord of The Rings, I do know that the story is based on European and Christian mythology/beliefs, and that would, again, be based on white people.

Lastly, Mr. Mackie says, “I want to see Frodo in the Hood, which if I ever do Saturday Night Live, is going to be a skit I’m going to do.”

If Mr. Mackie is using the definition of being from “the hood” as someone born in the ghetto, a poverty-stricken area, then we do indeed have a problem. If he is referring to “the hood” as a neighborhood in the city, well, that can just mean any neighborhood. However, Anthony has used race-baiting tactics before, so I’m going to assume he meant an area of poverty. 

Is Mr. Mackie implying that every single black person is from “the hood?” How incredibly racist is that? No black person has ever been born in a middle-class or wealthy area before? Are you sure about that?

Let’s take a look at Anthony Mackie’s life. According to his Wiki page, Anthony’s father owned a roofing business called Mackie Roofing. Furthermore, Anthony graduated from Julliard School in New York City! That is a very prestigious university that only accepts the best of the best, or, like any prestigious school, you can buy your way in if you have some sort of influence.

His brother is a former Tulane University engineering professor. In fact, let’s look at his family business, which “includes a burgeoning restaurant chain, a decades-old roofing contractor, a French Quarter club, a music production company and a nonprofit that promotes science and engineering.” His family is quite impressive and definitely made a name for themselves. Doesn’t sound like he is from “the hood,” now, does it?

I thoroughly enjoyed Mackie’s portrayal of The Falcon, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier is my absolute favorite Marvel movie. But these comments from Mackie are just another reason why I will not be watching any more MCU productions.