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Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971 in Dorchester, Massachusetts) is an American entertainer.

Formerly known as a rapper and model, he is now an actor and television producer.

Biography

Early life

Wahlberg was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts to Catholic parents Donald Edward Wahlberg and Alma Elaine Donnelly. His paternal grandfather, Axel Simon Wahlberg, was of Swedish descent, while the remainder of his ancestry is Irish.[1] He graduated from Copley Square High School on Newbury Street in Boston, MA.

According to ABC News, as a teen Wahlberg had a history of "petty crime, drug dealing and racism."

[2]

Career

Wahlberg first came to fame as the younger brother of Donnie Wahlberg of the successful bubblegum pop group New Kids on the Block. Mark had been hired as an original member of the group but quit before it became a success.

When the New Kids' success finally ended, Mark began recording as Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch, earning a hit with Good Vibrations from the album Music for the People. The record was produced by his brother Donnie. The second Marky Mark LP, You Gotta Believe, was a relative failure. He briefly became embroiled in controversy when he appeared to endorse the homophobic comments made by Shabba Ranks when they appeared as guests on the British chat show The Word. He later publicly dissociated himself from Ranks' comments, but after widespread media coverage.[3]

Wahlberg was also known for his impressive physique. He first displayed it in the Good Vibrations music video and most prominently in a series of underwear ads for Calvin Klein shot by Herb Ritts. He also made a workout video entitled The Marky Mark Workout: Fitness, Form, Focus.

He then began an acting career, making his debut in the 1993 TV movie The Substitute. He has earned positive reviews and appeared in a number of successful movies like Boogie Nights, Three Kings, The Perfect Storm, Four Brothers, and The Italian Job.

Wahlberg recently starred in the football drama, Invincible, based on the true story of Vince Papale. He is also the executive producer of the HBO series Entourage which is loosely based on his experiences in Hollywood. He also appeared as a Massachusetts State Police detective in Martin Scorsese's 2006 thriller, The Departed.

Personal life

Wahlberg has two children, Ella Rae born on September 2, 2003, and son Michael, born on March 22, 2006.

Discography

• Music for the People (1991)
• You Gotta Believe (1992)

Selected filmography

See the complete Mark Wahlberg filmography at IMDb

• The Brazilian Job (2008) ... Charlie Croker
• Shooter (2007)
• The Departed (2006) ... Dignam
• Life of Marlon O'Reilly (2006) ... Himself
• Invincible (2006) ... Vince Papale
• Four Brothers (2005) ... Bobby Mercer
• I Heart Huckabees (2004) ... Tommy Corn
• The Italian Job (2003) ... Charlie Croker
• The Truth About Charlie (2002) ... Joshua Peters
• Rock Star (2001) ... Chris 'Izzy' Cole
• Planet of the Apes (2001) ... Capt. Leo Davidson
• The Perfect Storm (2000) ... Bobby Shatford
• The Yards (2000) ... Leo Handler
• Three Kings (1999) ... Sfc. Troy Barlow
• The Corruptor (1999) ... Danny Wallace
• The Big Hit (1998) ... Melvin Smiley
• Boogie Nights (1997) ... Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler
• Traveller (1997) ... Pat O'Hara
• Fear (1996) ... David McCall
• The Basketball Diaries (1995) ... Mickey
• Renaissance Man (1994) ... Pvt. Tommy Lee Haywood

Trivia

• Wahlberg was originally cast as Linus Caldwell in Ocean's Eleven; Matt Damon played the role instead. The two later worked together in The Departed. [4]
• Was a scheduled passenger on United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11 2001. [5]
• He has said in many interviews that he plans to retire when he is 40.
• "The Touch", a song by Stan Bush, gained some notoriety when Mark Wahlberg performed it in his 1997 film Boogie Nights.

External links

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