Despite being one of the biggest names in the industry right now, thanks to Marvel Cinematic Universe, Anthony Mackie is setting the record straight when it comes to raising his kids. The actor has four boys with ex-wife Sheletta Chapital, and he is raising them to be humble as they grow into responsible men. As far as he is concerned, his children will not grow up without masculinity. That means that they are going to be respectful, take care of their mother, and be true gentlemen as they navigate through life.
Anthony Mackie believes that over the last two decades, masculinity has taken a severe hit in American homes, and he aims to raise his children as young men and nothing less. Could this be the parenting advice people need?
Anthony Mackie on keeping his kids humble and the death of American males
Anthony Mackie recently showed up on The Pivot Podcast, where he talked about everything from his New Orleans upbringing to his recent feat with Captain America: Brave New World. Click here to read FandomWire’s review of the film.
During the conversation, Mackie stated that as a parent to four boys aged 8 -15, he focuses on keeping them humble, even if it means he will have to deny them a pair of every teen boy’s dream sneakers.
He said, “I keep my boys humble. Like, my boys have never had a pair of Jordans. My boys don’t do all that Internet fly sh*t. I’m like, you’re kids. I could be the biggest star in the world, do not let me catch you being stupid.“
The oldest of the lot, Mackie says, gets it. He understands what his father is trying to teach them, and he helps keep his younger siblings in line. After all, they don’t wanna make Captain America angry.
Mackie added,
My oldest gets it. My 15-year-old, he tells the other ones he’s like, ‘Yo, don’t make dad mad.’ ‘Cause once you get one that’s right, he going to straighten the other ones out.
Coming to the apparent death of the ideal American male and the downfall of masculinity, Mackie stated that for some reason, masculinity has declined over the last few years, but this won’t fly in his household.
He said,
In the past 20 years, we’ve been living through the death of the American male. They have literally killed masculinity in our homes and our communities for one reason or the other. But I raise my boys to be young men…my boys will always be respectful, they will always say yes sir, yes ma’am, no sir, no ma’am. They will always say thank you. They will always open a door for a lady. They will always make sure their mother is taken care and provided for. They will always be men.
Clearly, Mackie knows exactly where his priorities lie when it comes to raising his kids. If only we all could take a page out of his handbook.
Anthony Mackie’s 15-year-old knows his duties
With the way Mackie is raising his boys, he can proudly and confidently depend on his oldest son to take on the duties of the man of the house whenever the actor has to step out for a bit.
On the podcast, Mackie revealed that the responsibilities fall on the 15-year-old’s shoulders, but it is nothing he cannot handle. From locking the doors to protecting his own, he knows what he has got to do.
Mackie said,
Every time I left for a job I tell my 15-year-old, ‘You’re the man of the house, you make sure these doors are locked every night, this alarm is on, you text me or you call me every night before you go to bed and you wake up. ‘Cause we are men. If I’m not there to protect, he got to be there to protect.
And this is what the Elevation actor means when he talks about the idea of American masculinity.
At the end of the day, Mackie isn’t just a superhero on the screen. He is also one in real life who takes on the responsibility of raising his boys into humble, masculine men, instilled with values he believes are fading. Love it or hate it, Mackie is shaping them to be strong and dependable young men.
Captain America: Brave New World is currently playing in theaters.
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