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MARK
WAHLBERG
JOINS HIS
BAND OF BROTHERS
By
Brad Balfour
Copyright ©2005
PopEntertainment.com.
All rights reserved. Posted August 22, 2005.
Though 34 year old Mark Wahlberg has projected a hard side to his public
persona from the days he was rapper Markie Mark onto when he got leads in
such films as Boogie Nights and Three Kings, his character in
Four Brothers, Bobby Mercer, may be his toughest. As one of the sibling
quartet avenging their foster mother's death, Wahlberg plays it with an
unrelenting pace and violence. Since being raised in a tough working class
neighborhood gave him insights to this character, his years as a veteran
actor have given him the experience to expand into producing both
documentaries and television shows such as Entourage.
If something like happened to your mother or a member of your family,
would you react this way?
I really do not want think about it that way. I've been raised Catholic and
we're supposed to forgive to be fo
rgiven but if the situation happened to
someone I care about or somebody not able to defend themselves it would make
me crazy. I wouldn't be too rationale about it so I would not like to think
about what the right thing would be to do. I'd probably be in jail. God
forbid.
So what drew you to this script?
Everything about it. It was the opportunity to play that kind of guy — a guy
I could really relate to. And to I want to make a
movie I want to go out to see as opposed to a lot I made before that I would
not want to see unless I was see in
them in an airplane or a hotel room. Everything about it was right up my
wheelhouse — it was done right way with the right guys so
how could it not be a special movie.
You wouldn't want to make Planet of the Apes again?
I would not only not make Planet of the Apes again; I wouldn't want to see
it again. I don't think Tim Burton would direct it again. I am at a point in
my career that I just want to work with directors that want work with. I
want to make movies that I want to see and play roles I want to play. I've
paid my dues and done a lot for the experience and knowledge; now I want
make the movies I want to see.
Did you have something to do to have John Singleton as the director?
No. Though I signed on before him, it only like a week earlier. We've been
friends for a long time and had talked about working together but there was
only a week between us. There was talk about different directors in meetings
and when different people said "John Singleton" it was a no-brainier from
there.
What film do you think was the turning point for you?
One movie I'd like to think was a turning point for me would be
Basketball Diaries or Fear. But a lot of people think my
establishing performance was Boogie Nights and then Three Kings
or The Perfect Storm. But I think from The Renaissance Man on,
I've just been an actor, so how I am perceived by people doesn't really
matter to me other than that.
You made the transition from music to acting. Are you glad you made the
transition?
Of course. I'd still be waiting on my record contract to do what want to do
not what they want me to do. I focused all my attention on acting I have
blinders on and not stray away. I made a couple of records and toured
overseas for money because I lived an expensive lifestyle; I had to keep the
house going and play bills until I found out ways to make a living other
ways. I always wanted to make movies and to try growing as an actor.
Do you miss anything about having been in music?
Sometimes I miss the freedom of it. I was shooting Martin Scorcese's latest
film and now can't screw up. If I was a musician and did not want be there
I would not show up; that would cost me a few bucks but that would be
it. But now I have too much responsibility and too many people depending on
me to mess up.
Copyright ©2005. PopEntertainment.com.
All rights reserved.
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