Actor Anthony Mackie has said in Variety magazine that the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs to improve on diversity - both in front of and behind the camera.

He has played Marvel superhero Falcon seven times since the character's first film appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).

In a discussion with Hamilton musical star Daveed Diggs, Mackie was asked about his interaction with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Mackie replied that they were both playing lead roles in their respective shows. Diggs stars in sci-fi series Snowpiercer and Mackie is in the Marvel miniseries The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, which premieres in August.

Mackie sees the position as one that can be used to catalyse change in Hollywood.

"We have the power and the ability to ask those questions. It really bothered me that I've done seven Marvel movies now where every producer, every director, every stunt person, every costume designer, every PA, every single person has been white."

The notable exception was Black Panther, he said.

"But then when you do Black Panther, you have a black director, black producer, a black costume designer, a black stunt choreographer.

"And I'm, like, that's more racist than anything else. Because if you can only hire the black people for the black movie, are you saying they're not good enough when you have a mostly white cast?"

He called for hiring changes going forward - something both he and Diggs are able to push for, given their status as leading men.

For him, the solution is to "hire the best person for the job".