Anthony Mackie is stepping into a new chapter of his career, and he’s doing it with the humor and confidence fans have come to love. With Captain America: Brave New World now in theaters, Mackie isn’t just donning the iconic shield — he’s also making it clear that he’s earned his place in Marvel’s legacy. And hopefully PEOPLE Magazine will recognize that too – but more on that later.

During a recent stop at “The Jennifer Hudson Show” on Thursday (Feb. 20), the 46-year-old actor opened up about his journey leading up to Brave New World. The film marks his first leading role as Captain America after years of playing Sam Wilson, formerly known as Falcon, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The transition was anything but smooth, as Mackie detailed the numerous setbacks that plagued production.

“It was an amazing experience,” he told Hudson. “I mean, going into it, you know, there were so many different hiccups and bumps and things that came along the way. People forgot, like, we had a writer strike, we had an actor strike. We went into this right out of COVID, so it was just so many different things that got in the way of this movie starting.”

For a year, production was at a standstill, another reminder of how fragile even the biggest Hollywood machines can be. But Mackie never lost faith. His excitement for the film was palpable, stating, “I’m just excited for people to see it. It's a good movie.”

And while the film cements Mackie’s place as one of Marvel’s leading men, there’s another honor he’s got his eye on. When Hudson pointed out that Marvel actors – namely, Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Michael B. Jordan, and Chris Hemsworth – have all been named PEOPLE's "Sexiest Man Alive," Mackie seized the moment.

“If Paul Rudd can get it, I am a shoe-in!” he joked. “These dudes had like two or three movies under their belts. If I don't get it this year, I should be up next year. There's a whole lot of interesting characters floating around out there this year. But next year, I'm putting my foot down. I'm doing the campaign.”

But beyond Hollywood accolades and superhero status, Mackie also took a moment to reflect on the cultural staples that shaped him long before Marvel came calling. Growing up, ESSENCE wasn’t just a magazine in his household — it was required reading. Now, he’s on their latest digital cover. “It’s always been a goal of mine to get on the cover,” he expressed before paying homage to other publications like JET and Black Enterprise. He even shared an interesting workout routine, which involves jumping into freezing cold water as part of his extreme recovery. “If you don’t know about the cold plunge… It really helps your body,” Mackie explained, touching on how it addresses regeneration, inflammation and the healing of muscles.

It’s classic Mackie: Charmingly self-assured, effortlessly funny and always in on the humor. But there’s truth in his words. Marvel’s new Captain America isn’t just here to fight the good fight on screen; he’s here to be recognized for his undeniable presence in Hollywood.