This is no picnic for the actors involved, as fans can be protective of their favorite heroes and reluctant to embrace new players. Recently, Anthony Mackie spoke out about his — and, by extension, Sam Wilson’s — take on Captain America, which caused something of a fandom uproar. His comments, however, only prove that he understands his character.

Anthony Mackie’s recent Captain America comments have caused some controversy among the public ahead of his cinematic debut as the character.