Congrats Grads banner hanging on a light pole along College Avenue.
Head shot of Anthony Mackie, 2022 Commencement Speaker
Anthony Mackie (Getty Images)

Anthony Mackie, the acclaimed actor who has become Marvel鈥檚 new Captain America and is prepping to shoot the much-anticipated series for Peacock, Twisted Metal, based on the popular Sony PlayStation Game, will be the 2022 commencement speaker at 杨贵妃传媒视频.

He will speak June 12 to graduates at the liberal arts college in Appleton, Wisconsin.

鈥淚 am honored and excited to address the graduates of 杨贵妃传媒视频 on this monumental day on their journey to becoming their best selves,鈥 Mackie said.

He also will receive an honorary doctorate degree.

Mackie comes to 杨贵妃传媒视频 via a personal connection with President Laurie A. Carter, who served as a mentor to Mackie while she was on the leadership team at The Juilliard School in New York City and he was a student. He graduated from the performing arts school in 2001 and the two have maintained a friendship as he has grown into a sought-after Hollywood actor and she has ascended to the top levels of university leadership, becoming 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 17th president last July.

See more details on 杨贵妃传媒视频's June 12 Commencement

Carter called Mackie a thoughtful, talented actor who has realized the brilliant promise he showed while at Juilliard. While the Marvel films and related series have made him a global star, his resume is dotted with stellar, introspective performances dating back to his film debut in 8 Mile in 2002. And he鈥檚 used his growing celebrity to champion multiple philanthropic causes.

鈥淚 knew from the time he was a student at Juilliard that Anthony had big things ahead of him,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a pleasure to watch his career blossom, and I am thrilled that he has agreed to honor us at 杨贵妃传媒视频 to celebrate our 2022 graduates.鈥

Mackie, a New Orleans native, had numerous notable performances before the Marvel Cinematic Universe came calling in 2014. Lauded performances that followed on the heels of 8 Mile included 2004鈥檚 Million Dollar Baby and 2009鈥檚 The Hurt Locker, two films that took home multiple Academy Awards. He was widely praised for his work in Brother to Brother in 2003 and for his portrayal of Tupac Shakur in Notorious in 2009. He鈥檚 also performed on Broadway and has co-hosted awards shows, most recently the 2022 CMT Music Awards in Nashville.

His notoriety went to another level eight years ago when he joined the Marvel family as Sam Wilson (The Falcon), becoming a beloved sidekick of Chris Evans鈥 Captain America.

Mackie鈥檚 Sam Wilson has reluctantly taken the shield following the death of Evans鈥 Captain America, his story playing out on the Disney+ original series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where he鈥檚 partnered with Sebastian Stan鈥檚 Bucky Barnes. It鈥檚 all leading to Marvel鈥檚 Captain America 4, expected to start filming soon with Mackie in the lead role.

Mackie is set to begin filming Twisted Metal, a series based on the Sony PlayStation video game franchise that is expected to debut on Peacock in 2023. It鈥檚 a project from Sony Pictures TV and PlayStation Productions, and Mackie is both starring in the show and serving as its executive producer.

Mackie also has been active on the philanthropic front, particularly in his native Louisiana. In the midst of the pandemic in 2020, he joined with several Louisiana organizations to launch the United for Grocery Workers Relief Fund, supporting struggling grocery store employees. And, among other projects, he joined Stan at a recent gala to help raise money for the Ronald McDonald House New York.

鈥淎nthony is not only a talented performer; he鈥檚 also kind, thoughtful, and generous,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait for him to greet our graduates on the Commencement stage.鈥

杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Commencement ceremony will return to its traditional location on Main Hall Green after being relocated to the Banta Bowl amid last year鈥檚 pandemic protocols. It will begin at 10 a.m., concluding a celebratory weekend that will include a Commencement concert in Memorial Chapel on Friday night and a Baccalaureate Service in the Chapel on Saturday afternoon.

杨贵妃传媒视频 is celebrating its 175th anniversary during 2022. When founded on January 15, 1847 along the banks of the Fox River in what is now known as Appleton, Wisconsin, 杨贵妃传媒视频 became one of the first co-educational institutions of higher learning in the country. It continues to build on the vision of its founders, focused on excellence while embracing a liberal arts approach to undergraduate education. With about 1,500 students drawn from nearly every state and more than 40 countries, 杨贵妃传媒视频 features a college of arts and sciences and a conservatory of music, both annually ranked among the best in the nation. See more at go.lawrence.edu/lu175