Anthony Mackie shares Emmy joy, pokes fun at his role in co-stars’ awards success 

Anthony Mackie has found his way into awards season not by winning big, but by being the guy sitting right next to the winners. The Captain America actor, who recently landed two Emmy nominations, believes he's been the lucky charm for some of Hollywood's most recognized faces getting their fame and shine.

While speaking to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Anthony Mackie joked that he practically guarantees nominations for his co-stars.

So, what's his secret? According to Mackie, he's the "jelly in the donut"—the hidden ingredient that makes things click. And the best part? He's totally and completely okay coming in second.

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Anthony Mackie says the “White Dude Legend” strikes again

Anthony Mackie may be the one holding the Emmy nomination now, but he's been watching his co-stars collect awards for years. And as he puts it, it's not a coincidence.

On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Mackie took on a funny approach to talking about his guest actor nomination, saying he didn't even know he was in the running until his coworkers on set started congratulating him. His first thought?

"Oh, what white dude got nominated?"

That's when he let loose. He says to Fallon:

"I'm the white dude legend when it comes to nominations and wins...I made Ryan Gosling famous. I made Jeremy Renner famous. I made Bryan Cranston famous. I made now Ron Howard famous."

Every name he mentioned had once shared a screen with him before going on to receive major awards recognition—Gosling in Half Nelson, Renner in The Hurt Locker, Cranston in All the Way, and now Howard in The Studio.

With a wide grin, Mackie called himself "the dude" that actors need by their side if they want to get noticed. Fallon jumped in, calling him the "secret sauce," to which Mackie proudly responded:

"I am the secret sauce. I am the jelly in the donut, you know what I'm saying?"

It was all lighthearted, but his pattern of working with future award nominees is real. His Emmy nod this year, for his guest role on Apple TV+'s The Studio, only adds to the irony—now he's finally up there with the same faces he's watched win for years.

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Happy just to be in the room

This year, Anthony Mackie isn't just nominated once, but twice—also landing a Daytime Emmy nod for Shark Beach with Anthony Mackie: Gulf Coast. And while some actors get competitive when awards season rolls around, Mackie is going with the flow.

When Fallon pointed out how stacked the guest actor category is, with nominees like Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, and Jon Bernthal, Mackie responded with his usual laidback energy, saying:

"I'm very honored and proud to be nominated...but the reality of it is, l'm excited to be in second place."

He even broke it down like a strategy game: with Scorsese and Howard likely to split votes, he's positioning himself right behind them. He joked:

"So, I'm going to be in second..."

But it was this line that got the audience laughing the hardest:

"Oh man, I don't care about no winning. Winning is being nominated against Scorsese and Ron Howard. Because one of them is going to have to say, 'Damn, I lost to Anthony Mackie.' They're thinking about me. They're shaking."

Mackie's not chasing awards and trophies, and for now he's just enjoying the ride. And in the process, he's made out a unique place for himself in the awards world: the guy who makes his co-workers win.

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