Anthony Mackie’s Superpower: Swimming with Sharks

When National Geographic invited Anthony Mackie to swim with sharks for its SharkFest programming, the new Captain America eagerly accepted. For Mackie, the water is a “safe space” where he can “tune everybody and everything else out.” A certified scuba diver for nearly two decades, Mackie has swum with Great Whites in South Africa, whale sharks in Mexico, and even a blue whale off Cape Town.

In his new special, “Shark Beach with Anthony Mackie,” airing Thursday, Mackie brings cameras to the waters near his home in New Orleans. There, he frequently boats and fishes, but an increase in local shark activity has raised concerns. Sharks are swarming boats and eating fishermen’s catches, posing a risk of aggressive behavior. Mackie emphasizes that this signals a larger environmental issue: an imbalance in the ecosystem. “If we eat all the fish, the sharks have nothing to eat,” he explains, noting that local sharks, which breed in Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Catherine, need a substantial food source even though they are not predators.

During the filming, Mackie spent about four hours in the Atlantic Ocean, easily finding numerous sharks. The experience reinforced his appreciation for their majesty and beauty. He was accompanied by marine biologist Jasmine Graham, whom he jokingly called his “security blanket.” Whenever the situation felt overwhelming, he would grab her, saying, “If one of us is getting eaten, it better be you,” he laughed. Graham provided valuable insights into shark behavior and the local marine community.

Mackie hopes his show, followed by Discovery’s Shark Week, will also highlight the impact of global climate change on New Orleans’ coastline, where rising sea levels are accelerating. Global warming has led to the melting of snow and ice, increased storm activity causing flooding, and the weakening of soil due to oil and gas industry operations. Mackie lamented the loss of local habitats, recalling childhood memories of oyster farming with his uncle in areas now vanished.

Despite his extensive travels, Mackie remains deeply connected to New Orleans. “There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing the sun come up over the Gulf of Mexico,” he says. For Mackie, the sunrise over the marsh and wetlands of his hometown is unparalleled in its beauty.

Re-reported from the article originally published in FIRSTPOST.