Mark Wahlberg Once Shared He Didn’t Think He’d Make it to the Age of 35
Mark Wahlberg became a veteran actor in his own right since his days in hit films like Basketball Diaries and Boogie Nights. Wahlberg’s longevity might have come as a shock to the actor himself, who didn’t believe he’d make it to his mid 30s.
Why Mark Wahlberg didn’t think he’d make it to the age of 35
Wahlberg acknowledged that he wasn’t the same person or actor that he was in his earlier years in the business. Wahlberg’s 30s saw the actor portraying more varied roles like Four Brothers and The Departed. He’d also become a family man, sharing four children with his wife Rhea Durham. But perhaps the actor was the most appreciative for his mid-30s because he wasn’t sure he’d live that long.
“I’ve just changed. For a while I never thought I’d make 35, but now that I have I’m enjoying life a lot more and I want to make 45 and 55. I’d also love to see my kids grow up. But I do feel like I’ve finally kind of hit my stride. My confidence is higher because I’ve worked with great people,” Wahlberg once told BBC. “I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve learned from the best and I don’t think I’ve ever taken on more than I can handle. It was always about the work so I got out what I put in. I committed 110% and then when I finally looked up after working for so long I realised the position I was in and was thrilled.”
Wahlberg confided that he had his doubts about being 35 due to his past life.
“Certainly when I was younger I was living in the fast lane. I lost four friends of my age last year alone. For a while, I didn’t see it happening – I don’t know if it was just the way I was looking at life or the world but now I love life and I’m enjoying it to the fullest,” he said.
Mark Wahlberg embraced being an older actor
Nowadays, Wahlberg is in his 50s, and has seemed to carry the same attitude that he did in his younger years. The Uncharted star has continued to build up his portfolio with a wide range of roles. Because of his age, he’s even started portraying father-figures to young adult actors like his Uncharted co-star Tom Holland.
Wahlberg didn’t mind the change, as he was becoming like the veteran actors he used to admire back when he was a youth.
“I’ve embraced it,” Wahlberg once told the Backstage podcast (via Yahoo). “I was that guy and I had wonderful actors – with Denzel [Washington] and Jack Nicholson and Robert Duvall and Jimmy Caan and Dustin Hoffman and Bill Paxton – I mean, the list goes on and on and on for me, and those are guys that I looked up to and I wanted to learn from, and they knew that right away.”
Wahlberg felt proud of being a veteran actor in the industry, and looked forward to maintaining that role.
“I embrace getting older, I embrace playing the dad, I embrace playing the elder statesman – it’s fun, and I’m lucky enough to still be able to do it, so it’s a blessing,” he said.
Mark Wahlberg will be leaving Hollywood sooner rather than later as he grows older
Wahlberg recently revealed that he didn’t plan on sticking around in Hollywood forever. Although he didn’t have an exact retirement date in mind, he hinted that it might be in the not too distant future.
“Sooner rather than later, probably,” he said to ET.
His family obligations played a part in his retirement plans. Even while still being an active actor, the Father Stu star shared it took unique projects to keep him away from family.
“It’s gotta be something special to really bring me, you know, to leave home, to leave those guys behind,” he said. “Because it’s the biggest sacrifice in the making for sure.”
