With the recent release of the thrilling film “Man on a Ledge,” The State Press had the opportunity to speak with one of the accomplished actors, Anthony Mackie who plays Mike Ackerman in the action flick.
Mackie’s success in the movie world can be explained by his mentality: “If you’re unemployed, that means you’re not working.” The actor offered other insights about the entertainment business and his experience on the set of “Man on a Ledge.”
The State Press: When you first read through this script, what did you think the overall outcome would be? How did you think people would like it?
Anthony Mackie: When I first read it, I read through it really quickly. I knew people would enjoy it. You know, it’s an action, suspense, thriller type of movie and a lot of times you have just two of the three, but I feel like I’ve been able to put all three of them together and it’s a fun movie.
SP: You typically star in thrilling movies, but the crime aspect in “Man On a Ledge” was something new. Did you like being a part of something so different?
AM: I did. It was one of the reasons I wanted to do the movie because of the type of character I was. My character is the crux of the plot. I thought it was pretty cool, and I was eager to be a part of it.
SP: Did you find this role, or did this role find you?
AM: Well, acting is like dating. You put yourself out there and see what comes to you. So I went looking for it, and we met at the same street.
SP: Sometimes you do theatrical performances both on and off Broadway. How does acting in films compare with preparing for and acting live on stage?
AM: It couldn’t be a bigger difference. When you do Broadway and you do theater, it’s the instant gratification that makes it worth it. When you’re done, the audience tells you whether you were good or bad. For film, you never really get that because the film comes out a year later. So you don’t really know what people think when they see it until you see the box office. It’s not what you get with theater. I prefer theater. You get to come off stage and hear from people. And with theater, you get to redeem yourself more. If you’re bad one night, you can be good the next night and be forgiven. But in film, if you’re bad, you’re bad forever. I’ll take a play any day.
SP: You’ve played a lot of different characters both in plays and in films. What was the most fun to do?
AM: I did a football movie “We Are Marshall,” and that was definitely the most fun to shoot because I got to just work and play football all day. It’s the best job to have.
SP: There are a lot of upcoming movies for you. Is there any one in particular that you see big potential for?
AM: “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” especially because it’s called “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” It’s a fun movie, and it’s completely different than anything I’ve done in my career. It was fun to shoot, and I’m excited to see how people react to it.
SP: Speaking of reactions, how do you think people will react to “Man On a Ledge”?
AM: I think people are going to love it. It’s one of those movies where if you enjoy a good time and like going to the movies to get away from everyday stuff, I feel like Asger (Leth) has put together a movie you can go to on a date, or that you can go to by yourself and just enjoy it.
SP: You worked with a whole range of actors in this movie. Were there any that you bonded with and spent most of your time with?
AM: Everybody got along really well. We all essentially become friends. Everybody is great and it was a lot of fun to shoot. It’s always fun to shoot in New York. Everybody was enjoying and relishing it.
SP: Does it get chaotic shooting right in New York? Do you have lots of people that jump on you when they notice you’re filming?
AM: There is nothing in New York that is not chaotic. Lots of people you see in the movie are just normal people walking down the street yelling to jump off the ledge.
SP: With all of your fame, are you still noticing and maintaining some type of normalcy in life?
AM: You know, if you want to be a press whore, you can definitely do that. But there’s a lot of normality that comes along with being an actor. You just have to be able to find your piece of the pie and be in your little corner. If you want to be a Kardashian you can definitely do that. There’s nothing wrong with being a Kardashian.
Reach the reporter at ejnicho1@asu.edu
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