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Anthony Mackie is widely known for playing Sam Wilson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his recent release, Captain America: Brave New World, became the third highest-grossing film of 2025. Even though the movie has received mixed reviews, the audience and the critics have appreciated Mackie’s acting as Captain America.

Anthony Mackie as Captain America | Credits: Marvel Studios

Mackie made his on-screen debut with 8 Mile in 2002 alongside Eminem. It was a critical and commercial success, earning Eminem an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Lose Yourself. The Marvel actor, in his recent interview, opened up about working with one of the greatest rappers in the industry.

Anthony Mackie says everything he has done is for his late mother

It took some time, but Marvel fans finally got on board with the idea of Anthony Mackie taking over the mantle of Captain America from Chris Evans, who was one...

Anthony Mackie has made a name for himself outside the superhero world, but 2025 came with his first leading solo film, Captain America: Brave New World, where he took the shield as the titular character. However, his first role featured a different face-off.

Mackie made his debut in 2002's 8 Mile, which starred Eminem in the leading role. The musical drama is a semi-autobiographical story, following Eminem's Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith, an aspiring rapper who attempts to win a rap contest to find a better life. Mackie played his opponent, Clarence aka Papa Doc, the leader of the Free World group, and revealed during an appearance on the Pivot Podcast that Eminem used his personal details during their rap battle at the end of the film.

8 Mile drew inspiration from Eminem's real life, but the rapper also used information from Anthony Mackie's real life. Around the 12:00 mark, Mackie addressed the film,...

There are many Marvel fans who have forgotten that, before becoming Captain America, Anthony Mackie once took on a very different kind of battle on screen – against Eminem in the Oscar-winning drama 8 Mile. Taking part in a rap battle with one of the greatest rap-stars of all-time can be a daunting task, but what made the scene ever more notable was that Eminem ensured that it included a very calculated and personal “attack” on Mackie himself.

In the 2002 drama, Mackie played Clarence, aka Papa Doc, the leader of the Free World rap group who takes on Eminem’s B-Rabbit in the movie’s climactic rap battle. What many people did not realize is that among the shots taken at Mackie’s character were not actually about the character, but some were personal shots taken at Mackie himself. However, it was not quite as malicious as it sounds. As Mackie...

Anthony Mackie became one of Hollywood’s hottest stars with his lead role as Captain America in Captain America: Brave New World, which premiered on Feb 14. But Mackie has been part of the Marvel Universe since 2014, when he took on the role of Falcon (Sam Wilson) in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Although Steve Rogers gave him the shield already in Avengers: Endgame (2019), Mackie’s character, Sam Wilson, was unsure about taking on the role. After John Walker briefly became Captain America, Sam ultimately decided to embrace the title by the end of the Disney+ series.

In his 23-year screen career, Mackie has played diverse characters. He portrayed Harry Mitchell, a junior adjustment agent in The Adjustment Bureau (which earned him two award nominations), and Sergeant J.T. Sanborn in The Hurt Locker, for which he won in the “Best Ensemble Cast” category and was nominated as “Best Supporting Actor” at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, aka, Eminem, raps fast. He could also have been driving fast if fate had played out differently. In 1998, a Vibe magazine article "Racer X" by Ken Li, was published, detailing an underground street racing operation in New York City. The story soon caught Hollywood’s interest. With the help of David Ayer, director Rob Cohen — a master of fortitude — put his stamp on the action-driven drama with heartwarming human interactions and tone-perfect characterization.

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*Availability in US Release Date June 22, 2001Director Rob CohenRuntime 106 minutesCast Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Rick Yune, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker

Several people were offered roles, notably, Timothy Olyphant, who could have played the iconic Dominic “Dom” Toretto, but declined, feeling the fictional driver was too similar to...

The new post-apocalyptic thriller, Elevation, boasts a cast led by some recognizable Marvel actors. Elevation begins playing in theaters in November, and it could be one of the month's quiet hits due to its star power and directorial talent. The movie is directed by George Nolfi, a writer and filmmaker who's worked on projects like The Bourne Ultimatum, Ocean's Twelve, and The Adjustment Bureau, all of which may have a similar appeal to Elevation. His most recent directorial project was The Banker, which featured Elevation's star, Anthony Mackie.

Set in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States, Elevation is a post-apocalyptic action thriller about a man and two women who set out from their homes, facing terrifying monsters, to save the life of a young boy. From clips from Elevation, the high-altitude mountain environment will play a major factor in the story, as the enormous monsters in the film don't ascend above 8,000 feet.

With a decades-long career in music, Eminem is resurfacing in the public conversation again with his latest album. His recent appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards further solidifies his status as one of the best rappers in music. Back in 2002, during the height of his popularity, Eminem, real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III, tried his hand at acting as well in a movie loosely based on his life called 8 Mile. Now, that gripping drama, which features some heavyweight actors, is available to stream for free through Tubi.

8 Mile R Where to Watchstreamrentbuy

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Release Date November 8, 2002Director Curtis HansonCast Eminem, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer, Kim Basinger, Evan Jones, Omar Benson MillerRuntime 110Main Genre DramaWriters Scott Silver Expand Art Imitates Life in 8 Mile

8 Mile is a fictional story, but it contains autobiographical elements from Eminems real life. He plays a rapper in Detroit named Jimmy Smith Jr.

Eminem's rap battle in 8 Mile was inspired by Anthony Mackie's real life, showcasing his genius in writing effective rhymes. The final rap battle in 8 Mile mirrors B-Rabbit's growth from failure to triumph, symbolizing Eminem's real-life rise in the rap scene. Anthony Mackie's stunned reaction in the rap battle scene helped make him a standout actor in 8 Mile, launching his successful career.

The climactic 8 Mile rap battle sees Eminem's B-Rabbit finally getting the best of Anthony Mackie's Papa Doc and Eminem's final rhymes are brilliantly inspired by Mackie's real life. A semi-autobiographical portrayal of Eminem's early rap career, 8 Mile was a critical and commercial success. Mackie appears in the 8 Mile cast as Papa Doc, the leader of the 'Free World', a rival crew to B-Rabbit and his friends. He is an intimidating villain, beating up Rabbit at one point. However, 8 Mile ends on their final rap battle, where B-Rabbit...

Eminem shines in lead role as Jimmy/B-Rabbit, reflects personal struggles through powerful rap battles in 8 Mile. Stellar ensemble cast including Kim Basinger and Anthony Mackie elevates 8 Mile beyond a standard hip-hop film. Timeless character study of rap scene in Detroit, bolstered by iconic freestyle raps and Eminem's Oscar-winning anthem "Lose Yourself".

The 8 Mile cast comprises not just a trailblazing musician but many other renowned character actors. Revolving around the everyday struggles of aspiring Detroit rapper B-Rabbit, 8 Mile is a semi-autobiographical take on rapper Eminem's early years before he became a mainstream name in American hip-hop. 8 Mile also boasts iconic freestyle raps as B-Rabbit gives his all to perfect his rapping skills in underground rap battles. With the soundtrack also including Eminem's Oscar-winning underdog anthem "Lose Yourself", 8 Mile doubles as a motivational drama and a rap musical par excellence. Helmed by Curtis Hanson, this character study of a struggling rapper continues to be timeless.

8 Mile soundtrack is a hip-hop treasure trove with iconic tracks by Eminem and genre veterans. Eminem's "Lose Yourself" defined the film and won him an Oscar for Best Original Song. The music curation in 8 Mile showcases early struggles and underdog story perfectly.

The 8 Mile soundtrack is a hip-hop treasure trove, featuring classics by genre veterans as well as many iconic tracks by leading man Eminem himself. A cult favorite among hip-hop heads, 8 Mile is also synonymous with Eminem's "Lose Yourself," an uplifting power anthem that won the rapper an Oscar for Best Original Song. Given its focus on an aspiring rapper's life and the rap battle scene of Detroit, the characters deliver several original freestyles but the 8 Mile soundtrack also boasts other 1990s and 2000s-era hits in crucial scenes, bearing testimony to Eminem's music curation skills.

Directed by L.A. Confidential's Curtis Hanson, 8 Mile serves...

Nashawn Breedlove, the battle rapper known as Lotto, who appeared alongside Eminem in 8 Mile, has died. He was 46.

Breedlove’s mother, Patricia, confirmed her son’s death on Facebook, writing, “It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of my beloved son Nashawn Breedlove’s passing. Many of you knew him by his alias ‘Lotto, ox,’ a name that echoed his resilience and determination. Nashawn was a rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. No one could deny his talent.”

She continued: “Nashawn’s departure from this world has...

Not many actors have such a storied and deep filmography that transcends pop culture and Academy Award status. Anthony Mackie happens to be one of Hollywood's most retable actors. From his famous, now meme'd, role of rap villain Papa Doc in 8 Mile to taking on the iconic mantle as Captain America in the MCU, Mackie has done justly about every film genre under the sun.

An impressive documentary reveals the radical significance of carnival celebrations in the making of a nation with a dark, difficult past

Exuberant and historically rich, Leah Gordon and Eddie Hutton Mills’s engrossing documentary charts centuries of Haitian history through the lens of carnival celebrations. The country has witnessed unspeakable atrocities but carnival serves not only as a reminder of the past, but also as a radical act of oral storytelling and collective solidarity in the face of oppression.

Shot in the port town of Jacmel, Kanaval highlights the overt political consciousness of the region’s carnival troupes. From the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, the revolutions against French colonial rule, and the dictatorship of François Duvalier, historical events are translated into costumes, ranging from the colourful papier-mache of animal heads to everyday materials such as cow’s teeth or dried wheat. The integration of these important chapters of Haitian...

Acting 101: Bring yourself to the role. Rap legend Eminem did so while performing in his one and only starring role in the 2002 semiautobiographical drama "8 Mile." But the "Lose Yourself" rapper took it one step further and brought in the personal life of co-star Anthony Mackie in what is one of the most satisfying movie conclusions I ever saw.

In the film directed by the late Curtis Hanson, Eminem plays Jimmy Smith Jr., a.k.a B-Rabbit, a Detroit battle rapper with a serious case of stage fright. Right before his first battle, he pukes. He then chokes onstage. His main tormentor is the Free World, a ruthless crew who appears to have a chokehold on the battle scene and the streets. 

Led by the reigning, defending, undisputed champion, Papa Doc (Mackie), the Free World gets into several physical altercations with B-Rabbit's motley crew of friends. Wink, a mutual...