Mark Wahlberg at 50: the Infinite star on being a devout Catholic, an avid golfer and a ‘survivor’ following a missed 9/11 flight – interview
- He’s starred in comedies like Ted and enjoys more serious plot lines like The Departed too, but he loves ‘the action and spectacle of films like Transformers’
- He skipped the flight that crashed into the World Trade Center on 9/11 through sheer luck, and says his wife Rhea Durham helped make him who he is today
American actor and producer Mark Wahlberg turns 50 on June 5. The Transformers and Ted star, who is a father of four, talks about his career, marriage and being a devout Catholic.
I enjoy being able to be creative in different ways as an actor. I get just as much pleasure out of doing big comedies as I do from very serious movies
Apart from action films like Mile 22 or Transformers, he has a penchant for comedy
I enjoy being able to be creative in different ways as an actor. I get just as much pleasure out of doing big comedies as I do from very serious movies like The Departed or Patriot Day.
I also love the action and spectacle of films like Transformers where I can let my imagination run wild – it takes me back to the time I was a kid and fantasised about doing that. I’m a lucky guy who now gets to be a big kid when I make those kinds of movies and also get to be creative. But beyond anything I do as an actor, the most important thing to me is my wife and children.
He’s known for his extraordinary work ethic, something he tries to teach his children
I tell my kids that there’s nothing they can’t accomplish if they’re willing to do the work. They see how hard I work and I’m not going to compromise on that; hopefully, it will be the example they need to achieve their own dreams. My mum was a great example. She would always make sure to show us – and me being the youngest of nine kids – what it was like to work hard.
He’s a committed family man