Anthony Mackie Says Eminem Roasted Him in 8 Mile, Not Just His Character

Anthony Mackie thought he was acting in 8 Mile, but Eminem had other plans.

On a new episode of Pivot Podcast, Anthony, 46, shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes story from the 2002 film. While Eminem played aspiring rapper B-Rabbit, Anthony took on the role of Papa Doc, the leader of the Free World rap crew. But when it came time for the final rap battle, Anthony was shocked to realize that Eminem wasn’t just roasting his character — he was going after him personally.

Before the big scene, Eminem pulled Anthony aside. “Yo, it don’t make sense we’re beefing,” he told him. “I need something on you.” 

They ended up talking for two hours, with Anthony sharing details about his life. The next day, when the cameras rolled, Eminem unleashed his final rap: “Clarence” went to private school, his parents are still married, and he grew up in a nice home.

That’s when it hit Anthony — “You’re talking about me, you’re not talking about Clarence!” He admitted that his intense facial expressions in the scene weren’t just acting. “You’re an a——, Eminem!” he joked. “I’m like, ‘I’m gonna fight this m———–!’”

8 Mile was Anthony’s film debut after graduating from Juilliard in 2001, and it was also Eminem’s first major acting role. The film became an instant classic, with Lose Yourself winning an Oscar for Best Original Song — though Eminem famously skipped the ceremony. Anthony later went on to play Tupac Shakur in Notorious (2009) and Martin Luther King Jr. in All the Way (2016), crediting his Juilliard training for giving him the versatility to take on such roles.

In 2021, Anthony even revealed on Hot Ones that his Shakespearean training helped him understand rap. “The idea of approaching a rapper as an actor—you’re really just speaking in poems,” he explained. “I always said, one of the greatest rappers [who] ever lived was Shakespeare.”