Carl Lumbly on Isaiah Bradley’s Legacy, Captain America’s Truth, and Being TV’s First Black Superhero

February 14, 2025 2 Min Read

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It’s not every day you get to speak with a real-life hero.

In a recent interview, we spoke with the iconic and legendary Carl Lumbly, who is just as phenomenal off-screen as he is in his performances. Returning as Isaiah Bradley in Captain America: Brave New World, Lumbly brings the character’s powerful story to the forefront, immersing audiences in the emotional weight of his past and struggles. Isaiah Bradley remains a pivotal hero in Marvel’s history, embodying resilience, sacrifice, and the ongoing fight for justice.

Kevin Feige shakes hands with Carl Lumbly as they attend the World Premiere for Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

During World War II, the U.S. government attempted to replicate the Super-Soldier Serum that transformed Steve Rogers into Captain America. However, before achieving a stable formula, they secretly experimented on a group of African-American soldiers without their consent—a storyline reflecting the real-life Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Isaiah was one of the few to survive these unethical trials.

Nate Moore and Carl Lumbly attend the World Premiere for Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

In this exclusive conversation, Lumbly reflects on the significance of playing such an iconic figure, discussing how the film highlights the importance of representation and the lasting impact of Isaiah’s story in today’s world. Notably, Lumbly also made history as the first Black superhero on television with his role as M.A.N.T.I.S. We discussed what it was like to play that role at the time and what that meant for the future of these films and why it is important to continue these stories.

For him, seeing Bradley’s story receive more attention—alongside Anthony Mackie fully stepping into the role of Captain America—is a monumental moment that will go down in superhero history. At its core, Captain America: Brave New World is about stepping into an uncertain future, much like we do in reality today, and Carl’s story is at the forefront of that journey.

Check out the full interview above!