Anthony Mackie reflected on his friendship with the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner, whom he called a “beautiful human being.”
In an interview with People promoting the second season of Peacock’s Twisted Metal, the Captain America: Brave New World star remembered the late actor, who died July 20 in an accidental drowning while on a family vacation in Costa Rica at the age of 54.
“I’m proud to say Malcom-Jamal Warner was a friend of mine,” Mackie said of The Cosby Show alum. “He’s somebody that I knew and spent time with, and just was such a beautiful human being.”
He continued, “And every time I was around him, I was able to take full advantage of those conversations and that time. That, for me, is the most important thing.”
Mackie also paid homage to another late performer, Andre Braugher, whom he described as an “icon” and mentor. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor died in December 2023 at the age of 61 from lung cancer.
“Being in New York and that new kid on the theater scene — to have those lessons and those moments and have that communicated [by] such — at that time for me — such an icon in the business,” he began.
“I always tell people just take full advantage of those moments [with mentors] and truly be yourself so that that person can see, react and engage with who you are and not some fictitious idea of who you think they want you to be,” Mackie concluded.
The newly minted Emmy nominee can currently be seen opposite Stephanie Beatriz in Twisted Metal Season 2, the continuation of the post-apocalyptic action-comedy adapted from the PlayStation video game franchise of the same name.
