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Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, producer, and former rapper.
His work His or HIS may refer to: Computing * Hightech Information System, a Hong Kong graphics card company * Honeywell Information Systems * Hybrid intelligent system * Microsoft Host Integration Server Education * Hangzhou International School, i ...
as a
leading man A leading actor, leading actress, or leading man or lady or simply lead (), plays a main role in a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person w ...
spans the
comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
,
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
, and
action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
genres. He has received multiple accolades, including a
BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...
, and nominations for two
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
, three
Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
, and nine
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
. Wahlberg was born in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. As a youth, he took part in a number of violent and racially motivated attacks, resulting in a felony conviction. He gained fame as a member of the
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
group
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was an American hip-hop group formed in 1991 by Mark Wahlberg (alias Marky Mark), Scott Gee, Hector the Booty Inspector, DJ-T, and Ashey Ace. The group's best known song is "Good Vibrations", which made it to number ...
in the 1990s, with whom he released the albums '' Music for the People'' (1991) and ''
You Gotta Believe ''You Gotta Believe'' is the second and final studio album by American hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, released on September 15, 1992. The album peaked at number 67 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. Two singles were released from th ...
'' (1992). Wahlberg made his screen debut in ''
Renaissance Man A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...
'' (1994) and had his first starring role in ''
Fear Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...
'' (1996). He received critical praise for his performance as porn actor Dirk Diggler in ''
Boogie Nights ''Boogie Nights'' is a 1997 American drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley and focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic ...
'' (1997). In the early 2000s, Wahlberg ventured into big-budget action movies, such as '' The Perfect Storm'' (2000), ''
Planet of the Apes ''Planet of the Apes'' is a science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic world in which humans and intelligent apes c ...
'' (2001), and ''
The Italian Job ''The Italian Job'' is a 1969 British comedy Caper story, caper film written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson (film director), Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film's plot centres ...
'' (2003). He was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
for playing a police officer in the crime drama ''
The Departed ''The Departed'' is a 2006 crime film, crime thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. It is both an English-language remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film ''Infernal Affairs'' and also loosely based on the real-lif ...
'' (2006). Wahlberg was nominated for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor can refer to: *Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film *Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama *Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy ...
for portraying
Micky Ward George Michael Ward Jr. (born October 4, 1965), often known by his nickname, "Irish" Micky Ward, is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2003. He challenged once for the IBF light welterweight title in 1997, and held ...
in the sports drama biopic ''
The Fighter ''The Fighter'' is a 2010 American Biographical film, biographical sports drama film directed by David O. Russell, and stars Mark Wahlberg (who also produced), Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo. The film centers on the lives of profes ...
'' (2010); as co-producer, he was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film a ...
. During the 2010s, he landed successful comedy roles with ''
The Other Guys ''The Other Guys'' is a 2010 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Adam McKay, who co-wrote it with Chris Henchy. It stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg with Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samu ...
'' (2010), '' Ted'' (2012), ''
Ted 2 ''Ted 2'' (stylized as ''ted2'') is a 2015 American fantasy comedy film. The sequel to ''Ted (film), Ted'' (2012), the film was co-produced and directed again by Seth MacFarlane, who co-wrote the script with returning writers Alec Sulkin and Wel ...
'' (2015), '' Daddy's Home'' (2015), and ''
Daddy's Home 2 ''Daddy's Home 2'' (titled on screen as ''Daddy's Home Two'') is a 2017 American Christmas buddy comedy film directed by Sean Anders and written by Anders and John Morris. A sequel to '' Daddy's Home'' (2015), it stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahl ...
'' (2017). Wahlberg also starred in the ''
Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two Extraterrestrials in fiction, alien robot fac ...
'' franchise films '' Transformers: Age of Extinction'' (2014) and '' Transformers: The Last Knight'' (2017). He was the world's highest-paid actor in 2017. Wahlberg served as executive producer of five
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
series: the comedy-drama ''
Entourage An entourage () is an informal group or band of people who are closely associated with a (usually) famous, notorious, or otherwise notable individual. The word can also refer to: Arts and entertainment * L'entourage, French hip hop / rap collecti ...
'' (2004–2011), the period crime drama ''
Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter for the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. The series sta ...
'' (2010–2014), the comedy-dramas '' How to Make It in America'' (2010–2011) and ''
Ballers ''Ballers'' is an American sports comedy-drama series created by Stephen Levinson that aired for five seasons on HBO from June 21, 2015, to October 13, 2019. It stars Dwayne Johnson as a retired NFL player who must navigate his new career as th ...
'' (2015–2019), and the documentary '' McMillions'' (2020). He is co-owner of the
Wahlburgers Wahlburgers (stylized as wahlburgers) is a casual dining burger restaurant and bar chain. It is owned by chef Paul Wahlberg and his brothers, actors Donnie and Mark. , there are 90+ Wahlburgers locations in the United States, Canada, Aus ...
chain and co-starred in the
reality TV series Reality is the sum or aggregate of everything in existence; everything that is not imaginary. Different cultures and academic disciplines conceptualize it in various ways. Philosophical questions about the nature of reality, existence, or be ...
about it. Wahlberg received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
in 2010.


Early life and family

Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg was born on June 5, 1971, in the Dorchester neighborhood of
Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. He is the youngest of nine children, including actor
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
and singer/actor
Donnie Donnie or Donny is a familiar form (hypocorism) of the masculine given name Donald, Donal, Don, or Donovan. It may refer to: People Arts and entertainment * Donny Baldwin, American drummer best known as a member of Jefferson Starship and Starsh ...
. His mother, Alma Elaine (
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Donnelly; 1942–2021), was a bank clerk and a nurse's aide, and his father, Donald Edmond Wahlberg Sr. (1930–2008), was a U.S. Army veteran of the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
. After his parents divorced in 1982, he divided his time between them. Wahlberg's father was of Swedish and Irish descent. His mother was of Irish, English and French-Canadian ancestry. On his mother's side of the family, he is distantly related to author
Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne (né Hathorne; July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion. He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associat ...
. Wahlberg was raised Catholic.


Career


Music career

Wahlberg first came to fame as the younger brother of
Donnie Wahlberg Donald Edmond Wahlberg Jr. (born August 17, 1969) is an American singer, actor and producer. He is a founding member of the boy band New Kids on the Block. Outside music, he has starred in the TV drama series ''Blue Bloods (TV series), Blue Bloo ...
of the successful
boy band A boy band is a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their Teenage, teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform love songs marketed towards girls and young women. Many boy bands ...
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
. Mark, at age 13, was one of the group's original members, along with Donnie, but quit after a few months.
Danny Wood Daniel William Wood (born May 14, 1969) is an American singer and songwriter. He is a member of the boy band New Kids on the Block. Career Wood joined New Kids on the Block at the age of 16 after being recruited by friend and bandmate Don ...
,
Jordan Knight Jordan Nathaniel Marcel Knight (born May 17, 1970) is an American pop singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist of the boy band New Kids on the Block (NKOTB), which rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, using a falsetto style of singing infl ...
,
Jonathan Knight Jonathan Rashleigh Knight-Rodriguez (né Knight; born November 29, 1968) is an American-Canadian pop singer. He is best known for being a member of the boy band New Kids on the Block. The band also includes his younger brother Jordan, and member ...
and
Joey McIntyre Joseph Mulrey McIntyre (born December 31, 1972) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He is best known as the youngest member of the boy band New Kids on the Block. He has sold over one million records worldwide as a solo artist and work ...
all joined the group after Mark had left. In 1990, Wahlberg began recording with dancers/rappers Scott Ross (Scottie Gee), Hector Barros (Hector the Booty Inspector), Anthony Thomas (Ashley Ace), and Terry Yancey (DJ-T) as
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was an American hip-hop group formed in 1991 by Mark Wahlberg (alias Marky Mark), Scott Gee, Hector the Booty Inspector, DJ-T, and Ashey Ace. The group's best known song is "Good Vibrations", which made it to number ...
, earning a hit with "
Good Vibrations "Good Vibrations" is a song by the American rock music, rock band the Beach Boys, produced and composed by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Mike Love. Released as a single on October 10, 1966, it achieved immediate critical and commercial success, ...
" from their debut album '' Music for the People''. The record, produced by brother Donnie, hit number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, later becoming certified as a
platinum single Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
. The second single, " Wildside", peaked at number five on ''Billboard''s
Hot Singles Sales The Hot Singles Sales, also known as the Hot 100 Singles Sales and the POS chart, was a music chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine listing each week's best-selling physical singles in the United States, such as CD singles, vinyl single ...
chart and number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was certified as a gold single. Marky Mark opened for the New Kids on the Block during their last tour. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch also had their own video game, titled '' Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch: Make My Video'', which, despite the band's success, was a huge flop. The second Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch LP, ''
You Gotta Believe ''You Gotta Believe'' is the second and final studio album by American hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, released on September 15, 1992. The album peaked at number 67 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. Two singles were released from th ...
'', was not as successful as the first, yielding only a minor hit single in the title track. In December 1992, while performing on the British TV show '' The Word'', Wahlberg praised
Shabba Ranks Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon OD (born 17 January 1966), better known by his stage name Shabba Ranks, is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throu ...
, who had stated gay people should be crucified.
GLAAD GLAAD () is an American non-governmental media monitoring organization. Originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals in the media and entertainment industries, it has since ...
condemned him and berated Calvin Klein for using him to promote their products. A self-titled autobiographical picture book, ''Marky Mark'', with images taken by
Lynn Goldsmith Lynn Goldsmith (born 1948) is an American recording artist, film director, celebrity portrait photographer, and rock and roll photographer. She has also made fine art photography with conceptual images and her paintings. Taschen, Rizzoli, an ...
and statements mostly by him, was also released. Trying to resuscitate his music career, he had shifted to
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
, where he was produced under the label of
East West Records East West Records (stylized as east''west'') is a record label formed in 1955, distributed and owned by Warner Music Group, headquartered in New York City. History After its creation in 1955 by Atlantic Records, the label had its first hit wit ...
by
Frank Peterson Frank Peterson (born 20 December 1963) is a German music producer known for his work with Enigma and artists such as Sarah Brightman, Ofra Haza, Gregorian, Princessa, and Andrea Bocelli on his first international album, ''Romanza''. Peterso ...
and
Alex Christensen Alex Christensen (born 7 April 1967), also known by his stage names Jasper Forks or Alex C., is a German dance music producer, songwriter, and DJ generally known as the face and one of the founding members of U96. Since 2002, he has been coll ...
. Wahlberg later collaborated with the late reggae/
ragga Raggamuffin music (or simply ragga) is a subgenre of dancehall and reggae music. The instrumentals primarily consist of electronic music with heavy use of sampling. Wayne Smith's " Under Mi Sleng Teng", produced by King Jammy in 1985 on a ...
singer
Prince Ital Joe Joseph Paquette (May 5, 1963 – May 16, 2001), better known by his stage name Prince Ital Joe, was a Dominican reggae and ragga singer and actor best known for his collaborations with Marky Mark and Death Row Records artists. Prince Ital Joe al ...
on the album ''
Life in the Streets ''Life in the Streets'' is the debut studio album by reggae and ragga recording artist Prince Ital Joe and the third studio album by rapper Marky Mark. The album was released in 1994 for Ultraphonic Records and blended Prince Ital Joe's regga ...
''. The project combined rap vocals, electronic-infused ragga, and "European dancefloor" music, delivering the singles " Happy People", German number one hit "United", "Life in the Streets", and "Babylon", with Peterson and Christensen as producers. Many of these tracks featured on the film ''
Renaissance Man A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...
'', starring Wahlberg and
Danny Devito Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series ''Taxi (TV series), Taxi'' (1978–1983), which won him ...
. In 1995, he released a single titled "No Mercy", in support of his friend
Dariusz Michalczewski Dariusz Tomasz Michalczewski (born 5 May 1968) is a Polish-German professional boxer who competed from 1991 to 2005. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the WBA, IBF, WBO and lineal light heavyweight titles ...
, whom he had befriended earlier in the 1990s. Michalczewski also appears in the music video of the song. Wahlberg and Prince Ital Joe released another album in 1995 for Ultraphonic Records. Titled ''
The Remix Album The Remix Album may refer to: * ''The Remix Album'' (4hero album), 2004 * ''The Remix Album'' (All Saints album), 1998 * ''The Remix Album'' (Champion album), 2006 * ''The Remix Album'' (Lisa Stansfield album), 1998 * ''The Remix Album'' (Milli Van ...
'', it featured remixes from the duo's previous album, ''Life in the Streets'', as well as Mark's solo track, "No Mercy". After his album with Ital Joe became a hit in Germany, he started putting together a musical act called One Love with him as its producer and also sometimes its lead singer. He also started production on a third studio album. He featured in their song titled "That's the Way I Like It". In 1996, Wahlberg returned to Hamburg to record a solo single titled "Hey DJ" with producer
Toni Cottura Toni Cottura (born 7 June 1971), better known by his stage name Smooth T., is an Italian-born German Eurodance and hip hop producer and rapper. Musical career He started his career in 1988 as a hip hop producer with David Fascher and later worked ...
. Two more solo tracks titled "Feel the Vibe" and "Best of My Love" were released in 1997. In 2000, he was featured in the
Black Label Society Black Label Society is an American heavy metal/southern metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1998 by guitarist/singer Zakk Wylde. To date, the band has released eleven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, one EP, and three ...
music video for " Counterfeit God", as a stand-in for the band's bassist.


Film and TV career

In 1993, Wahlberg made his acting debut in the television film ''
The Substitute ''The Substitute'' is a 1996 American action thriller film directed by Robert Mandel and starring Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Marc Anthony, William Forsythe, Raymond Cruz and Luis Guzmán. It was filmed at Miami Senior High School. Pl ...
''. After this appearance, he dropped the "Marky Mark" name. His big screen debut came the next year, with the
Danny DeVito Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series ''Taxi (TV series), Taxi'' (1978–1983), which won him ...
feature ''
Renaissance Man A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...
''. A basketball fanatic, he caught the attention of critics after appearing alongside
Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...
in '' The Basketball Diaries'' (1995), a film adaptation of the
Jim Carroll James Dennis Carroll (August 1, 1949 – September 11, 2009) was an American author, poet, and punk musician. Carroll was best known for his 1978 autobiographical work '' The Basketball Diaries'', which inspired a 1995 film of the same title ...
book of the
same name ''Same Name'' is an American reality television series in which an average person swaps lives with a celebrity of the same first and last name. It premiered on July 24, 2011 on CBS. The series received low ratings, and CBS pulled it after four-ep ...
, playing the role of Mickey. He had his first starring role in James Foley's thriller film ''
Fear Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...
'' (1996). He earned positive reviews after films such as ''
Boogie Nights ''Boogie Nights'' is a 1997 American drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley and focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic ...
'' (1997), ''
The Big Hit ''The Big Hit'' is a 1998 American action comedy film directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Che-Kirk Wong, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Sabàto Jr., China Chow, Avery Brooks, Lainie ...
'' (1998), ''
Three Kings In Christianity, the Biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also known as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, and Three Magi, are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in homage to hi ...
'' (1999), '' The Perfect Storm'' (2000), and '' Four Brothers'' (2005). During the early 2000s, Wahlberg appeared in remakes of 1960s films such as ''
Planet of the Apes ''Planet of the Apes'' is a science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic world in which humans and intelligent apes c ...
'' (2001), ''
The Truth About Charlie ''The Truth About Charlie'' is a 2002 mystery film directed, produced, and co-written by Jonathan Demme. A remake of '' Charade'' (1963), it stars Mark Wahlberg and Thandiwe Newton in the roles played by Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in ''Charade' ...
'' (2002) (a remake of the 1963 film ''
Charade Charade or charades may refer to: Games * Charades, originally "acting charades", a parlor game Films/TV * Charade (1953 film), ''Charade'' (1953 film), an American film featuring James Mason * Charade (1963 film), ''Charade'' (1963 film), an ...
''), and ''
The Italian Job ''The Italian Job'' is a 1969 British comedy Caper story, caper film written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson (film director), Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film's plot centres ...
'' (2003). His performance in ''
I Heart Huckabees ''I Heart Huckabees'' (stylized as ''i ♥ huckabees''; also ''I Love Huckabees'') is a 2004 philosophical comedy-drama film directed and produced by David O. Russell, who cowrote the screenplay with Jeff Baena. A self-described "existential ...
'' was voted the best supporting performance of the year in the 2004 ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' Critics Poll. Wahlberg was originally cast as Linus Caldwell in ''
Ocean's Eleven ''Ocean's Eleven'' is a 2001 heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Ted Griffin. A remake of the 1960 film of the same name, it serves as the first installment in the ''Ocean's'' franchise. The film features an ense ...
'', but
Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...
played the role instead. The two later worked together in ''
The Departed ''The Departed'' is a 2006 crime film, crime thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. It is both an English-language remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film ''Infernal Affairs'' and also loosely based on the real-lif ...
''. Wahlberg was also considered for a role in the film ''
Brokeback Mountain ''Brokeback Mountain'' is a 2005 American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from Brokeback Mountain (short story), the 1997 short story by Annie Proulx, the screenplay ...
''. It was originally intended to star Wahlberg and
Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Rafael Phoenix ( ; ; born October 28, 1974) is an American actor. Widely described as one of the most preeminent actors of his generation and known for Joaquin Phoenix filmography, his roles as dark, unconventional and eccentric charact ...
(with whom he appeared in the 2000 film ''
The Yards ''The Yards'' is a 2000 American crime film directed by James Gray, written by Gray and Matt Reeves, and starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, Faye Dunaway, Ellen Burstyn and James Caan. It is set in the commuter rail ...
'') as
Ennis Del Mar Ennis Del Mar is the fictional main character of the short story ''Brokeback Mountain'' by Annie Proulx, the 2005 Academy Award-winning film adaptation of the same name directed by Ang Lee, and the 2023 play by Ashley Robinson also adapted fro ...
and
Jack Twist Jack Twist is a fictional character in the short story "Brokeback Mountain" by Annie Proulx, the 2005 Academy Award-winning film adaptation of the same name directed by Ang Lee, and the 2023 play by Ashley Robinson also adapted from the short ...
, respectively, but both actors were uncomfortable with the film's sex scenes. The roles ultimately went to
Heath Ledger Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, he moved to the United States in 1998 to further develop his film care ...
and
Jake Gyllenhaal Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal ( , ; born December 19, 1980) is an American actor who has worked on screen and stage for over thirty years. Born into the Gyllenhaal family, he is the son of film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi ...
, both of whom were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances. Wahlberg starred in the American football drama ''
Invincible Invincible may refer to: Film and television * ''Invincible'' (2001 theatrical film), a drama by Werner Herzog about Jewish cabaret during the rise of Nazism * ''Invincible'' (2001 TV film), a fantasy/martial arts TV movie starring Billy Za ...
'' (2006), based on the true story of bartender
Vince Papale Vincent Francis Papale (born February 9, 1946) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver. He played three seasons with the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, primarily on special teams, following two ...
. He was also executive producer and appeared in the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
series ''
Entourage An entourage () is an informal group or band of people who are closely associated with a (usually) famous, notorious, or otherwise notable individual. The word can also refer to: Arts and entertainment * L'entourage, French hip hop / rap collecti ...
'' (2004–2011) and its follow-up film (2015), which was loosely based on his experiences in Hollywood. In 2006, he appeared as Sean Dignam, an unpleasant, foul-mouthed
Massachusetts State Police The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, responsible for law enforcement and vehicle regulation across the state. As of 2024, it has 2,500 sworn troop ...
staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a Military rank, rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administr ...
in
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
's critically acclaimed thriller, ''
The Departed ''The Departed'' is a 2006 crime film, crime thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. It is both an English-language remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film ''Infernal Affairs'' and also loosely based on the real-lif ...
'', which netted him an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nomination for Best Supporting Actor, a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, and a
National Society of Film Critics The National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) is an American film critic organization. The organization is known for its highbrow tastes, and its annual awards are one of the most prestigious film critics awards in the United States. In January 2024, ...
Best Supporting Actor award. Wahlberg was reunited with his ''The Basketball Diaries'' co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. Despite his felony conviction, which legally prohibits him from handling firearms, Wahlberg prepared for his role in ''
Shooter Shooter may refer to: People * Rod Beck (1968–2007), American baseball pitcher nicknamed "Shooter" * Shooter Jennings (born 1979), country music singer * Evan McPherson (born 1999), American football placekicker nicknamed "Shooter" * Adrian Sh ...
'' (2007) by attending long-range shooting training at
Front Sight Firearms Training Institute Front Sight Firearms Training Institute, also known as Front Sight and as Front Sight Resorts, was founded in 1996 by Dr Ignatius Piazza. Piazza, a California native and former chiropractor, and himself one of the few graduates of the Four Wea ...
near
Pahrump, Nevada Pahrump ( ) is an Unincorporated towns in Nevada, unincorporated town located at the southernmost tip of Nye County, Nevada, United States, about west of Las Vegas (roughly an hour away by driving distance). Pahrump lies adjacent to the Nevada ...
. He was able to hit a target at 1,100 yards on his second day, a feat which usually takes weeks to achieve. He had said in a number of interviews that he would retire at the age of 40 to concentrate on parenthood and
professional golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit a ball into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
. However, in early 2007, he indicated that the latter was no longer the plan as "his golf game is horrible". In 2007, he starred opposite Joaquin Phoenix in '' We Own the Night'', a movie about a family of police officers in New York City. He starred in
M. Night Shyamalan Manoj Nelliyattu M. Night Shyamalan ( ; born August 6, 1970) is an American filmmaker. His films often employ supernatural plots and twist endings. The cumulative gross of his films exceeds $3.3 billion globally. Shyamalan has received vario ...
's '' The Happening'' as Eliot Moore, which premiered in movie theaters on June 13, 2008. The same year, he played the title role in ''
Max Payne ''Max Payne'' is a neo-noir third-person shooter video game series developed by Remedy Entertainment (''Max Payne'' and ''Max Payne 2'') and Rockstar Studios (''Max Payne 3''). The series is named after its protagonist, Max Payne, a New York C ...
'', based on the video game of the
same name ''Same Name'' is an American reality television series in which an average person swaps lives with a celebrity of the same first and last name. It premiered on July 24, 2011 on CBS. The series received low ratings, and CBS pulled it after four-ep ...
. While promoting ''Max Payne'', Wahlberg became involved in a playful feud with
The Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The th ...
's
Andy Samberg Andy Samberg (born David A. J. Samberg; August 18, 1978) is an American comedian, actor, musician, writer and producer. He is a member of the comedy music group the Lonely Island, along with childhood friends Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone. ...
. Samberg had done an impression of Wahlberg in a ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' sketch titled "Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals". Wahlberg later appeared in a follow-up sketch parodying the original one, Samberg's impression of Wahlberg, and his own threats to Samberg. He played Jack Salmon, the father of the protagonist, Susie, in
Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand filmmaker. He is best known as the director, writer, and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy (2012–2014), both of which ar ...
's ''
The Lovely Bones ''The Lovely Bones'' is a 2002 novel by American writer Alice Sebold. It is the story of a teenage girl who, after being raped and murdered, watches from a personal heaven as her family and friends struggle to move on with their lives while she ...
'' (2009), a film adaptation of the Alice Sebold book of the same name. In 2010, Wahlberg appeared with
Steve Carell Steven John Carell (; born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He starred as Michael Scott in the NBC sitcom ''The Office'' (2005–2011, 2013), and also worked at several points as a producer, executive producer, writer, a ...
and
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. Known for her comedic roles in sketch comedy, television and film, Fey has received List of awards and nominations received by Tina Fe ...
in the romantic comedy ''
Date Night ''Date Night'' is a 2010 American romantic action comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and written by Josh Klausner. The film stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey as a suburban couple whose attempt to reignite their marriage with a night out in New ...
'', starred with
Will Ferrell John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is known for his leading man roles in comedy films and for his work as a television producer. Ferrell received various accolades, including ...
in the
buddy cop Buddy cop is a film and television genre with plots involving two people of very different and conflicting personalities who are forced to work together to solve a crime and/or defeat criminals, sometimes learning from each other in the process. ...
film ''
The Other Guys ''The Other Guys'' is a 2010 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Adam McKay, who co-wrote it with Chris Henchy. It stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg with Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samu ...
'', and starred with
Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. List of awards and nominations received by C ...
in the boxing drama film ''
The Fighter ''The Fighter'' is a 2010 American Biographical film, biographical sports drama film directed by David O. Russell, and stars Mark Wahlberg (who also produced), Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo. The film centers on the lives of profes ...
''. In 2012, he starred as a former criminal in the action thriller ''
Contraband Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") is any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It comprises goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes of the leg ...
'', and also starred in Seth MacFarlane's hit comedy '' Ted'', reprising his role in the 2015 sequel. Wahlberg later starred as
Navy SEAL The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main funct ...
Marcus Luttrell Marcus Luttrell (born November 7, 1975) is a retired United States Navy SEAL who received the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his disputed actions in June 2005 against Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wings in which he was the lone survivor ...
in the war film ''
Lone Survivor ''Lone Survivor'' is a 2013 American action drama film based on the 2007 nonfiction book by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson. Set during the war in Afghanistan, it dramatizes the unsuccessful United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent ...
'' (2013), based on Luttrell's 2007 book of the same name. The film received commercial success and mostly positive reviews, and Wahlberg's performance was highly praised. Also in 2013, he starred in the true crime film ''
Pain & Gain ''Pain & Gain'' is a 2013 American black comedy action crime film directed by Michael Bay and written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. It is based on a 1999 series of ''Miami New Times'' articles by Pete Collins about the activities of ...
'' alongside
Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on a part-time basis. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional w ...
, and the action comedy film ''
2 Guns ''2 Guns'' is a 2013 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Baltasar Kormákur and starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. It is based on the comic book series of the same name created by Steven Grant and Mateus Santolouco, p ...
'' alongside
Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...
. In 2014, Wahlberg starred in the remake of '' The Gambler'', the 1974
James Caan James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...
film that was loosely inspired by the Dostoyevsky novella. Also in 2014, Wahlberg was the producer of the reality show ''Breaking Boston'', which was pulled off the air after its premiere had 311,000 viewers. He executive-produced one episode of ''
Wahlburgers Wahlburgers (stylized as wahlburgers) is a casual dining burger restaurant and bar chain. It is owned by chef Paul Wahlberg and his brothers, actors Donnie and Mark. , there are 90+ Wahlburgers locations in the United States, Canada, Aus ...
'', while co-starring in it. Walhlberg also starred in two films in the ''
Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two Extraterrestrials in fiction, alien robot fac ...
'' live-action film franchise: '' Transformers: Age of Extinction'' (2014) and '' Transformers: The Last Knight'' (2017). In 2015, he starred opposite Will Ferrell in the comedy '' Daddy's Home'', reprising his role in the 2017 sequel. In 2016, he starred in two
Peter Berg Peter Berg (born March 11, 1964) is an American director, producer, writer, and actor. His directorial film works include the black comedy '' Very Bad Things'' (1998), the action comedy '' The Rundown'' (2003), the sports drama '' Friday Night ...
films, ''
Deepwater Horizon ''Deepwater Horizon'' was an ultra-deepwater, Dynamic positioning, dynamically positioned, Semi-submersible platform, semi-submersible offshore drilling Oil platform, rig owned by Transocean and operated by the BP company. On 20 April 2010, ...
'', a film about the 2010 ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill, and '' Patriots Day,'' a film about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Wahlberg topped the list of the world's highest-paid actors in 2017. In 2018, his salary of $1.5 million for the reshoots for ''
All the Money in the World All or ALL may refer to: عرص Biology and medicine * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer * Anterolateral ligament, a ligament in the knee * ''All.'', taxonomic author abbreviation for Carlo Allioni (1728–1804), Italian physician and pro ...
'' stirred a
gender pay gap The gender pay gap or gender wage gap is the average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are Employment, employed. Women are generally found to be paid less than men. There are two distinct measurements of the pay gap: non ...
controversy, as his co-star
Michelle Williams Michelle Williams or Michele Williams may refer to: * Michelle Ann Williams (born circa 1965), American public health scholar * Michelle Williams (singer) (born 1979), American singer, previously a member of Destiny's Child * Michelle Williams (actr ...
had received less than $1,000 for the same reshoots. Wahlberg donated the money to the Time's Up initiative, a movement against sexual harassment co-founded by Williams. In 2018, he starred in the family comedy-drama film ''
Instant Family ''Instant Family'' is a 2018 American family comedy-drama film starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as parents who foster three siblings, played by Isabela Merced, Gustavo Quiroz, and Julianna Gamiz. It also stars Margo Martindale, Julie Hagert ...
''. Wahlberg produced and starred in the espionage film ''
Mile 22 ''Mile 22'' is a 2018 American Spy film, espionage action thriller film directed by Peter Berg and written by Lea Carpenter, from a story by Carpenter and Graham Roland. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Iko Uwais, John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, and R ...
'' (2018), and appeared in the Netflix film ''
Spenser Confidential ''Spenser Confidential'' is a 2020 American action comedy film directed by Peter Berg, with a screenplay written by Sean O'Keefe and Brian Helgeland, and based on characters created by Robert B. Parker. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke ...
'' (2020), and the animated movie ''
Scoob! ''Scoob!'' is a 2020 American animated mystery comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is a reboot of the theatrical'' Scooby-Doo'' film series and the third theatrical film based on the ...
'' (2020), which was his first voice acting role. In 2022, Wahlberg starred in the ''
Uncharted ''Uncharted'' is an action-adventure video game series and media franchise published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and developed by Naughty Dog. Created by Amy Hennig, the ''Uncharted'' franchise follows a group of treasure hunters who trav ...
'' film, as
Victor Sullivan The ''Uncharted'' series, created by video game developer Naughty Dog (with two titles developed by Bend Studio), features many characters. The series includes the video games ''Uncharted: Drake's Fortune'', ''Uncharted 2: Among Thieves'', ''Unc ...
, having originally been cast to play
Nathan Drake Nathan Drake ( Morgan) is a character and the protagonist of the ''Uncharted'' franchise, most notably in the Uncharted, video game series, developed by Naughty Dog. He appears in all mainline games: ''Uncharted: Drake's Fortune'', ''Uncharted 2 ...
years prior. He then starred in the family movie '' Arthur the King'' (2024), and the action films ''
The Family Plan ''The Family Plan'' is a 2023 American action comedy film directed by Simon Cellan Jones and written by David Coggeshall. Produced by Apple Studios, Skydance Media, and Mark Wahlberg's Municipal Pictures, it stars Wahlberg as a suburban car sale ...
'' (2023, Apple TV+), '' The Union'' (2024, Netflix), and '' Flight Risk'' (2025). Besides ''Entourage'', Wahlberg was also executive producer of the period crime drama ''
Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter for the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. The series sta ...
'' (2010–2014), the comedy-dramas '' How to Make It in America'' (2010–2011) and ''
Ballers ''Ballers'' is an American sports comedy-drama series created by Stephen Levinson that aired for five seasons on HBO from June 21, 2015, to October 13, 2019. It stars Dwayne Johnson as a retired NFL player who must navigate his new career as th ...
'' (2015–2019), and the documentary '' McMillions'' (2020).


Other ventures


Advertising

Wahlberg first displayed his physique in the "Good Vibrations" music video and most prominently in a series of underwear ads for
Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery. ...
(1992) shot by
Herb Ritts Herbert Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952 – December 26, 2002) was an American fashion photographer and director known for his photographs of celebrities, models, and other cultural figures throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His work concentrated on b ...
, following it with Calvin Klein television advertisements. Magazine and television promotions sometimes featured Wahlberg exclusively or accompanied by model
Kate Moss Katherine Ann Moss (born 16 January 1974) is an English model. Arriving towards the end of the "supermodel era", Moss rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her t ...
.
Annie Leibovitz Anna-Lou Leibovitz ( ; born October 2, 1949) is an American Portrait photography, portrait photographer best known for her portraits, particularly of celebrities, which often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses. Leibovitz's Polaroid ...
also shot a famous session of Wahlberg in underwear for ''Vanity Fair'''s annual Hall of Fame issue. He also made a workout video titled ''The Marky Mark Workout: Form... Focus... Fitness'' (). In 2012, Wahlberg began serving as a brand ambassador for Marked, a line of sports nutrition supplements by GNC. In March 2017,
AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...
announced that Wahlberg would become a spokesman and he would create original content for the mobile network division.


Legal issues

As a teenager, in 1986 and 1988, Wahlberg took part in some racially motivated attacks. In June 1986, a 15-year-old Wahlberg and three friends chased after three black children while yelling "Kill the
nigger In the English language, ''nigger'' is a racial slur directed at black people. Starting in the 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been increasingly replaced by the euphemistic contraction , notably in cases where ''nigger'' is Use–menti ...
, kill the nigger" and throwing rocks at them. The next day, Wahlberg and the others followed a group of mostly black fourth-graders (including one of the victims from the previous day) taking a field trip on a beach, yelled racial epithets, threw rocks at them, and "summoned other white males who joined" in the harassment. In August 1986, civil action was filed against Wahlberg for violating the civil rights of his victims, and Wahlberg and his friends were issued a civil rights injunction which served as a warning that they would be jailed if they committed another
hate crime Hate crime (also known as bias crime) in criminal law involves a standard offence (such as an assault, murder) with an added element of bias against a victim (individual or group of individuals) because of their physical appearance or perceived ...
. In April 1988, Wahlberg, then 16, assaulted a middle-aged Vietnamese-American man on the street, calling him a "Vietnam fucking shit" and knocking him unconscious with a large wooden stick. Later the same day, he attacked Johnny Trinh, another Vietnamese-American, punching him in the eye. When Wahlberg was arrested and returned to the scene of the first assault, he told police officers: "I'll tell you now that's the mother-fucker whose head I split open." Later, Wahlberg would explain that he was on PCP at the time. Investigators also noted that Wahlberg "made numerous unsolicited racial statements about '
gook Gook ( or ) is a derogatory term for people of East and Southeast Asian descent. Its origin is unclear, but it may have originated among U.S. Marines during the Philippine–American War (1899–1913). Historically, U.S. military personnel used t ...
s' and 'slant-eyed gooks. He was initially arrested for
attempted murder Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions. Canada Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seve ...
. He was charged with two counts of
assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...
and
battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...
with a dangerous weapon, one count of marijuana possession, and
criminal contempt Contempt of court, often referred to simply as "contempt", is the crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the co ...
for violating the prior civil rights injunction he received in 1986. He pleaded guilty to felony
assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...
and was sentenced to three months in jail, but served only 45 days of his sentence. Wahlberg believed he had left the second victim permanently blind in one eye, though Trinh later said that he had actually lost his eye during the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
while serving in the
Army of the Republic of Vietnam The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; ) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. Its predecessor was the ground forc ...
. In August 1992, Wahlberg fractured the jaw of his neighbor Robert Crehan in an attack. Court documents state that in 1992, Wahlberg, "without provocation or cause, viciously and repeatedly kicked" Crehan in the face, while another man, Derek McCall, held the victim on the ground. Wahlberg's attorney claimed that Wahlberg and McCall, who is black, were provoked after McCall was called a racial slur by Crehan. The lawsuit was settled between the two parties, avoiding a criminal trial. In 2006, Wahlberg said the right thing for him to do would be to meet with Trinh and make amends. In 2014, Wahlberg applied for a pardon from the State of
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
for his convictions, which engendered controversy. According to the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
, the debate about his suitability for a pardon raised "difficult issues, with the arguments on both sides being far-reaching and complex". Wahlberg later said he regretted the attempt to obtain a pardon, and his petition was closed after he failed to answer a request from the pardon board as to whether he wanted it to remain open. In 2016, Wahlberg said he had met with Trinh and apologized "for those horrific acts". Trinh released a public statement forgiving Wahlberg.


Business interests

Wahlberg is a co-owner of
Wahlburgers Wahlburgers (stylized as wahlburgers) is a casual dining burger restaurant and bar chain. It is owned by chef Paul Wahlberg and his brothers, actors Donnie and Mark. , there are 90+ Wahlburgers locations in the United States, Canada, Aus ...
, along with his brothers Donnie and Paul. It was Mark's idea to expand Paul's restaurant in
Hingham, Massachusetts Hingham ( ) is a town in northern Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Plymouth County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Part of the Greater Boston region, it is located on the South Shore (Massachusetts), South Shore of Massachusetts. At the 2020 ...
into a full-fledged chain, with a reality show to promote it. In July 2013, Wahlberg bought an equity interest of the
Barbados Tridents The Barbados Royals (previously known as the Barbados Tridents) are the representative franchise cricket team of Barbados in the Caribbean Premier League. They are one of the six teams specifically created in 2013 for the inaugural season o ...
cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
team. Wahlberg was introduced to the game by his friend Ajmal Khan, the club's chairman and
Caribbean Premier League The Caribbean Premier League (abbreviated to CPL or CPLT20) is an annual Twenty20 cricket tournament held in the Caribbean. It was founded by Cricket West Indies in 2013 to replace the Caribbean Twenty20 as the premier Twenty20 competition in ...
founder. Following the announcement, Wahlberg stated, "I am a huge cricket fan now. I'm excited to be a part of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League because I know cricket is huge in the Caribbean and a rich part of the region's heritage. Sports and entertainment are a powerful combination, and the LCPL will appeal to a huge audience worldwide." In 2015, Wahlberg recruited rapper
Sean Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
and billionaire
Ronald Burkle Ronald Wayne Burkle (born November 12, 1952) is an American businessman. He is the co-founder and managing partner of The Yucaipa Companies, LLC, a private investment firm that specializes in U.S. companies in the distribution, logistics, foo ...
to join him in investing in Aquahydrate, a bottled water brand Wahlberg discovered. Together, the three men own a majority stake in the company. Wahlberg, together with former GNC executive Tom Dowd, co-founded Performance Inspired, a
sports nutrition Sports nutrition is the study and practice of nutrition and diet for maintaining and improving athletic performance. Nutrition is part of many sports training regimens, being used in strength sports (such as weightlifting and bodybuilding) and e ...
company launched in 2016. In February 2017, Wahlberg was one of the investors who took part in a $6 million funding round for StockX, a sneaker resale marketplace. In March 2019, Wahlberg bought a stake in the F45 fitness franchise. On July 20, 2018, Wahlberg and his business partner, Jay Feldman, announced the purchase of Bobby Layman
Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...
in
Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...
. The dealership was renamed Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet. Due to the success of the dealership, local
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
affiliate
WSYX WSYX (channel 6) is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, United States, affiliated with ABC, MyNetworkTV and Fox. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which provides certain services to Roar station WTTE (channel 28, owned by Cunnin ...
reported in March 2020 that Haydocy
Buick Buick () is a division (business), division of the Automotive industry in the United States, American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American automobil ...
- GMC, right across the street from Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet, had filed paperwork with
Ohio Secretary of State The secretary of state of Ohio is an elected statewide official in the state of Ohio. The Secretary of state (U.S. state government), secretary of state is responsible for overseeing elections in the state; registering business entities (corp ...
Frank LaRose Frank LaRose (born April 18, 1979) is an American politician who has served as the 51st Ohio Secretary of State, secretary of state of Ohio since January 2019. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, he was member of the Ohio State Senate ...
to rename itself Mark Wahlberg Buick-GMC; Feldman later confirmed that he and Wahlberg were purchasing their second
General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
dealership in the city. The deal became official on June 29, 2020, and also included Haydocy's
Airstream Airstream is an American brand of travel trailer easily recognized by the distinctive shape of its rounded and polished aluminum coachwork. This body shape dates back to the 1930s and is based on the Bowlus Road Chief, an earlier model of the ...
and RV dealership, located next door at the car dealership's former
Oldsmobile Oldsmobile (formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors) was a brand of American automobiles, produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, it produc ...
showroom. Shortly afterward, Wahlberg and Feldman announced they were purchasing Jack Maxton Chevrolet in nearby
Worthington, Ohio Worthington is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, and is a northern suburb of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus. The population in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census was 14,786. The city was founded in 1803 by the Scioto Company led by ...
, their fourth Columbus-area dealership, with plans to rename it Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of Worthington. A fifth dealership, Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of Avon, was added in
Avon, Ohio Avon ( ) is a city in northeastern Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The population was 24,847 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. History In the 17th century, what is now Avon, Avon Lake, Bay Village, and W ...
in July 2021; unlike the other dealerships, the Avon location is in
Greater Cleveland The Cleveland metropolitan area, or Greater Cleveland as it is more commonly known, is the metropolitan area surrounding the city of Cleveland in Northeast Ohio, United States. According to the 2020 census results, the six-county Cleveland, OH ...
, marking Wahlberg and Feldman's entry into
Northeast Ohio Northeast Ohio is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that comprises the northeastern counties of the U.S. state of Ohio. Definitions of the region consist of 16 to 23 counties between the southern shore of Lake Erie and the foothills ...
. In 2021, Wahlberg, along with his producing partner/manager Stephen Levinson, launched Ballers Report, an online platform (and spin-off of their HBO series ''
Ballers ''Ballers'' is an American sports comedy-drama series created by Stephen Levinson that aired for five seasons on HBO from June 21, 2015, to October 13, 2019. It stars Dwayne Johnson as a retired NFL player who must navigate his new career as th ...
'') that features inspiring business, entertainment and sports articles, videos and podcasts. In 2021, he invested in the
Tequila Tequila (; ) is a liquor, distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (''Los Altos (Jal ...
brand
Flecha Azul Flecha Azul is a brand of tequila produced in Jalisco, Mexico by Abraham Ancer and Aron Marquez. Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, produce ...
. In 2023, Wahlberg became Chief Brand Officer for
F45 Training F45 Training is an Australian franchiser and operator of fitness centers based in Austin, Texas. It has around 1,600 studios in over 60 countries across Australia/Oceania, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. The fitness franc ...
.


Personal life

Wahlberg started dating
Rhea Durham Rhea Durham (born July 1, 1978) is an American model. She has appeared on the covers of several major fashion magazines, including French '' Vogue'', ''Marie Claire'', and both the British and American editions of ''ELLE''. She has walked in mul ...
in 2001. They had three children during the first seven years of their relationship, and married on August 1, 2009, at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...
, near where they lived. They had another child five months after their wedding in January 2010. Wahlberg was booked to fly on
American Airlines Flight 11 American Airlines Flight 11 was a domestic Airline, passenger flight that was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists on the morning of September 11, 2001, as part of the September 11 attacks. The hijacked airliner was deliberately crashed into ...
on
September 11, 2001 The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
, but his plans changed the day before and he cancelled his reservation. He received backlash for stating in a 2012 interview, "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did". He added that "there would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry. He issued an apology after family members of those killed on the flight expressed outrage. Wahlberg is
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, and has described his religion as "the most important part" of his life; he goes to
Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
twice on Sundays. He fervently supports
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
despite the Church's opposition. In September 2015, he apologized to
Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
over the crude jokes he made in the film '' Ted'', and he stated in an interview with Cardinal Blase Cupich of
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
in 2017 that he sought forgiveness from
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
for playing a porn star in ''
Boogie Nights ''Boogie Nights'' is a 1997 American drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley and focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic ...
''. He later stated on
Andy Cohen Andrew Joseph Cohen (born June 2, 1968) is an American radio and television talk show host, producer, and writer. He is the host and executive producer of ''The Real Housewives'' Multimedia franchise, franchise and Bravo (American TV network), B ...
's radio show that the interview "was a joke taken too seriously". In 2023, Wahlberg stated that the Christian practices of
fasting Fasting is the act of refraining from eating, and sometimes drinking. However, from a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (before "breakfast"), or to the metabolic sta ...
and prayer during
Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...
were meaningful to him, as he discussed using the ''
Hallow Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe ...
'' Christian prayer app. Wahlberg established the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation in May 2001 for the purpose of raising and distributing funds to youth service and enrichment programs. Wahlberg is active with The Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children. In 2022, Wahlberg and his family moved from
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
to
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
.


Filmography


Discography


Solo singles


References


Further reading

* * Wahlberg is also mentioned and discussed elsewhere (as "Marky Mark") in Simpson's book.


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wahlberg, Mark 1971 births 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American rappers 20th-century Roman Catholics 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American rappers 21st-century Roman Catholics American film producers American male film actors American male voice actors American male rappers American people convicted of assault American people of English descent American people of French-Canadian descent American people of Irish descent American people of Swedish descent BAFTA winners (people) Catholics from Massachusetts Living people Male actors from Boston Massachusetts Democrats New Kids on the Block members Participants in American reality television series People from Dorchester, Boston Rappers from Massachusetts Television producers from Massachusetts Wahlberg family