Summary
Mark Wahlberg reveals that he became a movie producer because he became tired of taking a backseat to fellow mega-stars like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. The 52-year-old who initially started his illustrious career as a rapper ventured into acting in the early 90s, starring in Penny Marshall’s comedy film Renaissance Man and then later in the psychological thriller Fear. By the 2010s, Wahlberg had become a bona fide movie star, boasting numerous notable awards and a robust catalog of films and shows across multiple genres, both as an actor and as a producer.
Speaking to Cigar Aficionado Magazine, Wahlberg revealed that he pivoted into movie production out of necessity. He explained that at some point in his acting career, it became apparent that he was playing second fiddle to fellow movie stars like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio. He had to wait for the aforementioned stars to pass up on roles before he landed anything big so instead of sitting around and waiting, he decided to become a movie producer instead. Read his full comments below:
I started becoming a producer out of necessity. I didn’t want to sit around waiting for Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise or whoever was already established before me and were the guys at the time, and Leo [DiCaprio], to go and pass on a movie until I could get my hands on it. I was always proactive in trying to find material and things that I could produce, that I knew was right for me, create my own destiny.
Mark Wahlberg Has Found Success As A Producer
While many are still familiar with Wahlberg because of his acting work, the famous actor has also grown into a fairly successful executive producer over the years. Wahlberg’s production journey kickstarted in 2004, as he served as an executive producer for HBO’s Entourage up until its final season in 2011. Entourage’s creator has said he would return for a reboot if Wahlberg came back as a producer. The comedy series which is loosely based on Wahlberg’s experiences as an up-and-coming film star ran for 8 seasons, and it received several notable awards including an impressive 28 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and 14 Golden Globe Award nominations.
Along with other distinguished figures like Martin Scorsese and Timothy Van Patten, Wahlberg also served as the executive producer for Terence Winter’s period crime television drama Boardwalk Empire. The series ran for 5 seasons between 2010 and 2014, and it received a whooping 57 Primetime Emmy Award nominations as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama in 2011. Wahlberg has stated he may retire from acting, which would open him up for more producing roles.
Outside of Entourage and Boardwalk Empire, Wahlberg has executive produced other shows like the sports comedy-drama Ballers and a documentary miniseries McMillions. Wahlberg has proven for decades that he is undoubtedly one of the most talented actors of his generation, he has also shown that even if he might lose roles to some, unlike many others, he’s equally capable of finding success behind the camera.
Source: Cigar Aficionado Magazine
