Actor Anthony Mackie Endorses Donald Trump Then Says It Was a 'Bad Joke' After Online Attacks
Actor Anthony Mackie, 37, was forced to apologize Monday for saying he would campaign for GOP 2016 presidential frontrunner Donald Trump over the real estate mogul's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, after he was viciously excoriated for his comments online.
In a promotional interview with BET for his new movie "Our Brand Is Crisis," Mackie, who plays a consultant to a presidential candidate in the political comedy, explained that he thinks the best actors are politicians, but he couldn't be a good politician because he wouldn't be able to handle attacks on his family.
When asked if he would work for Clinton's or Trump's campaign he picked Trump's and explained why.
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"I would 100 percent want to run Trump's campaign. 100 percent," he said. "I mean, first that'll be the best party ever when he won. And second, Trump's an easy sell. ... When you look at Trump, he's an easy sell because you can sell him as the guy who worked his way up from nothing. And I think if you're a 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' candidate, people would identify with that."
Pressed further on whether or not his comments meant he was supporting Trump for president in 2016, Mackie said: "I'm on the bandwagon. … I'm drinking the Kool-Aid!"
As the interview made the rounds online, however, some critics like Ira Madison, staff editor for New York magazine, quickly ripped into Mackie for supporting the outspoken New York City businessman.
"Anthony Mackie always looks like he'd love to get called a [expletive] in a Quentin Tarantino movie," Madison tweeted. Other critics called the actor an "Uncle Tom."
Mackie soon respond to the attacks with a tweet of his own that appeared to quell the consternation of his fans.
"Sorry Donald, that wasn't an endorsement. Just a bad attempt at a joke, I guess?" he noted.
Sorry Donald, that wasn’t an endorsement. Just a bad attempt at a joke, I guess?
— Anthony Mackie (@AnthonyMackie) October 19, 2015Watch the trailer for the "Our Brand Is Crisis" below:
