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Anthony Mackie says Eminem actually dissed him while filming the iconic rap battle scene in 8 Mile.
On Tuesday, March 11, The Pivot podcast released its interview with the star of Captain America: Brave New World. During their conversation, hosts Ryan Clark and Fred Taylor mentioned Mackie's role as "Papa Doc a.k.a Clarence" in the 2002 film starring Eminem and the late Brittany Murphy. The seasoned actor began to talk about his time working with the Detroit native on the final rap battle scene, in which Em's character "B-Rabbit" faces off with "Papa Doc." Em may have lyrically destroyed "Clarence," but Mackie revealed some of the clever lyrics were actually about him.
“Eminem is such a brilliant dude," Mackie began. "We’re on set one day and he’s like, ‘Yo, it doesn’t make sense that we’re beefing.’ I was like, ‘Right!’ He says, ‘I need something on you.’ So we talked for like two hours, chilling."
“The next day we’re shooting the battle scene, and that’s why I’m standing there like, ‘You’re talking about me, you’re not talking about Clarence," he said before he joked, "That has nothing to do with the character. You’re an a**hole, Eminem!’ I’m like, ‘I wanna fight this muthaf**ka!'"
8 Mile was the first major film Mackie and Eminem starred in. The film, which is loosely based on Em's life, earned $243 million at the box office and won an Academy Award for "Best Original Song" thanks to the lead single of the soundtrack "Lose Yourself."
Listen to The Pivot's latest episode featuring Anthony Mackie below.