Director Julius Onah Praises Mackie and Ford in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

LOS ANGELES, CA — Director Julius Onah expressed admiration for actors Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford in their roles for the latest Marvel film, ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’ In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Onah reflected on his experience working with Ford, who has long been one of his cinematic idols.

At 42, Onah shared that directing the 82-year-old Ford was a profound moment for him, having grown up watching the actor in iconic films such as ‘Star Wars‘ and ‘Indiana Jones.’ Onah stated, “It’s funny because you don’t mention Indiana Jones and you don’t mention Star Wars just because of Harrison. These are massive, larger than life, popular properties that have influenced so many people. So getting to meet him was mind-blowing. I learned a tremendous amount from him.”

Ford portrays Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross in the film, a character previously depicted by the late William Hurt. This time, Ross navigates a complex and turbulent relationship with Mackie’s Sam Wilson, who has assumed the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rogers.

Onah praised both actors for their dedication to their performances. “Just like Mackie, I think they both really poured themselves into their performances in this movie,” he said. The search for emotional authenticity in their characters proved vital for the production.

Onah elaborated on his collaboration with Ford, recalling, “So when I got past being starstruck, and we got down to the nitty gritty of just starting to talk about the role, I had a point of view in terms of what I thought the emotional journey of this character should be. He responded to that.” The director also emphasized Ford’s talent in imbuing characters with depth, noting, “There’s nobody better than Harrison when it comes to bringing these characters to life.”

When discussing Ford’s well-known dry sense of humor, Onah remarked, “I think Ford loves sort of leaning into that expectation and playing around with it. What is not fun about getting to be this individual who is so larger than life that so many people have responded to?”

Onah appreciated Ford’s ability to remain grounded despite his stardom. “I really appreciated that about him — let’s just get past the big global famous movie star of it and just be human,” he stated.

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ is currently showing in theaters nationwide. The film promises to deliver both compelling storytelling and strong performances from its leading characters, setting a high bar for future entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.