Yesterday morning, I scanned through these photos of the AFI Fest premiere of Lone Survivor and I decided not to cover them because there was no Eric Bana at the premiere. But here we are! Mark Wahlberg was at the premiere (he’s the star) with his wife Rhea, who looks really different, right? Is it just a haircut or has she messed with her face? Hm.
Anyway, you know Mark is king of the sh-t talking badasses, right? Memorably, he once told Men’s Journal that if he had been on one of the hijacked planes on 9/11, he would have punched all the terrorists until they were all dead, and then there wouldn’t have been a 9/11 I guess. After Mark received an assload of criticism for those comments, I guess he’s trying to overcorrect now. In Lone Survivor, he’s playing a Navy SEAL, but please don’t ask him to compare himself to the real SEALs.
…At the premiere of Lone Survivor at the AFI Fest Tuesday night in Los Angeles, Mark Wahlberg shocked the audience with his candor about his role in Lone Survivor, an adaptation of Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell’s account of his Navy SEALS mission in Afghanistan in July of 2005, which director Peter Berg recreates with harrowing, explicit, and relentless precision.
When Wahlberg took the stage with Berg and Petty Officer Luttrell after the credits rolled for a brief Q&A, he looked distraught and distracted. After Luttrell explained how he and Berg teamed up for the film, the moderator, Festival Director Jacqueline Lyanga, turned to Wahlberg to ask about his rigorous training and the rough shoot. Wahlberg looked visibly pained by the question and started on what would become an almost five-minute monologue.
“For actors to sit there and talk about ‘oh I went to SEAL training’? I don’t give a f-ck what you did. You don’t do what these guys did. For somebody to sit there and say my job was as difficult as being in the military? How f-cking dare you, while you sit in a makeup chair for two hours,” Wahlberg said.
He continued: “I don’t give a sh-t if you get your ass busted. You get to go home at the end of the day. You get to go to your hotel room. You get to order your f-cking chicken. Whatever the f-ck it is. People talk about what do we do to bond the way that those guys bonded. We just knew what they did. It didn’t matter. I didn’t have to say a word to Emile [Hirsch] or a word to Taylor Kitsch, Ben Foster…who’s my brother even though he’s the kind of actor who wants to continuously debate the debate and everything else…and I love him for it. I gave him half my salary…whatever I gave him…to do it because I knew how great he was and for us to be on that mountain together and in the end I could just look at him and it would break my heart knowing that that’s my brother and I may never see him again. But it just seems like so much more than that.”
“I’ve done the movies where I talk about God. I trained for four and a half years and I was ‘The Fighter’ and f-ck all that. It really means nothing. I love Marcus [Luttrell] for what he’s done and I’m a very lucky guy to do what I do and I’m proud to have been part of it, but it’s just so much bigger than what I do. I love Pete [Berg] for what he did and how committed he was,” he said.
“He would never let any one of us forget about what was important in the course of making the movie and whether it was Marcus or the other SEAL guys, if they saw something that didn’t ring true, I don’t care if it was going to be the biggest stunt sequence in the movie, they would cut, call bullsh-t, and grab all of us by the f-cking neck and say ‘no do it this way, and do it right and make it real’ and if you don’t it’s a problem. I was really proud to be a part of that.”
Wahlberg finished by saying, simply: “I’m sorry for losing my sh-t. Don’t ask any more questions tonight.”
Berg attempted to lighten the mood by grabbing Wahlberg’s arm and reassuring the audience that it had been a long night, to which Wahlberg replied “no, it’s just getting f-cking started. I’m going to find my f-cking second wind and we’re going to celebrate this f-cking movie. But don’t ask me any more questions.”
Many people think Mark was perhaps taking direct aim at Tom Cruise for maybe/not really equating film work with being a soldier overseas. I don’t think Cruise actually said that, and I kind of doubt Mark Wahlberg was trying to take direct aim at Tom. Mark said as much to TMZ too – that he wasn’t aware of the “comparison” that Tom Cruise made (except he really didn’t). Besides, it’s not like we couldn’t find a dozen actors who bitch and complain about how tough their lives are – I think Mark is speaking to that. And why not? F—king whiners.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
The man who said he would have stopped the hijackers from 9/11…. pot/kettle/black!
Right? This would be great coming from someone else, he isn’t much better than Cruise #teamnoone
That and didn’t he murder someone? Hmm.
I don’t think so. He beat a Vietnamese man so severely that he is now permanently blind. Mark has never apologized to this man because he doesn’t feel the need to apologize to his victim. He also attacked a bunch of kids just because they were black.
He’s the worst. Since I found out about his past shady behavior I can barely stand looking at his face.
He’s one of those actors who should just never speak. About anything.
Thank you! I was about to type that ! What a f*cking douche !
I don’t blame him for saying that about 911, I said the same thing. “why the hell didnt all those people join up and take them down? Its a whole plane against a couple terrorists. I would have attacked them and killed them myself” So I don’t understand why everyone got all up in arms about it when I think it was maybe John Stewart called the terrorists ‘brave’ and nobody made a big deal about that.
It wasn’t Jon Stewart, it was Bill Maher and EVERYONE made a big deal about it and he lost his job. Hey, and maybe hopefully you’ll get to be a victim in some sort of terrorist plot and you can show the whole world how amazing and brave you are!
No offence but you don’t know how you would actually react until you’re in a situation that threatens your life, we all think what we would do but often that isn’t what would actually happen.
These were Bill Maher’s actual words
“We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That’s cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it’s not cowardly.”
Hmm I’m not sure if he was taking aim at Tom or not but I’m glad you brought up the 9/11 incident Kaiser, because on other sites people are 100% behind Mark and while I agree with Mark’s statements, he needs to shut up because he had that 9/11 thing.
He’s doesn’t have the “right” (blah blah I know everyone can express their opinions freedom of speech) to criticize after his own comments previously.
I think that he made a huge mistake saying what he did about 9/11, especially considering how it’s such a painful subject. Nobody knows what they’d do in that kind of situation.
I will say though, that a lot of people run through scenarios in their heads, and imagine being able to do something/something differently. The difference is that most people don’t verbalize these scenarios. It was a really really dumb move. But I really don’t think he did it to be hurtful, or to be so cocky. I think it was just a dumb thing to say.
Don’t forget that he could have stopped 9/11. Marky Mark suffers from diarrhea of the mouth himself.
Seems he’s a perfect match for Jenny then.
The superior brother Donnie is with Jenny.
Oh, sorry. Genetically similar in intellect, I suppose.
I read the title of this post three times and it made no sense to me. It wasn’t until halfway through the article that I understood what the point was.
There’s an “it” missing, I believe.
Meh, he has a movie to promote, not to mention trying to create buzz for Entourage and a reality show based around his family’s burger business.
He throws grenades when a kick to the side of knee would suffice.
Fine, Mark, you’re trying to make a valid point, BUT it would come across as more genuine if you weren’t acting so self-important while doing so. It’s just a movie; it’s not going to cure cancer or bring world peace.
Maybe Rhea just lost the baby weight. Wasn’t she pregnant for like 5 years straight?
Well who f*ing ever said f*ing actors were comparable to f*ing Seals, you f*ing moron? Was he drunk? What a rambling mess.
Tom Cruise reportedly compared himself to soldiers serving in Afghanistan. He might have been taking a hit at Tommy.
No, he didn’t. I don’t like Tom Cruise, but the actual transcript reflects that he was asked if he thought he worked as hard as a soldier in Afghanistan, and his answer was a rather sarcastic, “We were making a movie.” There’s plenty of stuff to dislike him for, but this isn’t one of them…he just didn’t say it.
They do it all the time. Every time someone makes a war movie, all of the press is about how hard they worked to make them look like believable soldiers. How they spent a week in “real” basic training, and spent a whole night in a tent! I have heard it over and over. I’ve never heard anyone actually say they had it worse, but they definitely sometimes allude to the idea that because they did a few strenuous workouts they somehow understand being a soldier. Which, is ridiculous.
Sometimes it feels like MW is about two seconds away from losing his shit altogether and going all Kanye on someone! I get what he is saying, and i totallly agree (I hate when actors say stuff like, it was so “brave” of me not to wear mascara in that role, etc.) but he just comes off a little cray, cray with the intensity! Take it down a notch, bro!
This is coming from a dude who blinded a man of one eye in a racist rage and never made amends to him but hey all good he forgave himself so he doesn’t need to, he orders his f*cking chicken… whatever Marky, you are not any better nor honorable in saying that.
Word!
I think he’s always been a self important douche. Also, probably drug and alcohol use fuels his tantrums. He’s going to go full on Mel Gibson within 5 years.
Totally agree. I’m not liking the increasing trend of actors being endlessly interviewed and spouting off on every topic under the sun. Memo to all PR agents – sometimes less is more. The more some actors talk, the more they contradict the PR line they’ve spouted before, they become less believable and more unlikeable. Marky Mark is one of them.
Just shut up.
Love him!
I like what he said but I agree that he’s overcorrecting after his stupid 9/11 comments. Or maybe he really understands how ridiculous he sounded and has gotten perspective since then? I think that could be possible too. Either way, at least he’s not whining about his rough life in Hollywood.
In that picture, his wife looks like someone punched her in the nose!
It looks like a bad make-up job to me.
I will forever seen as his character in Fear mostly due to his voice.
That roller-coaster scene was hot.
Good for Walberg! I’m guessing that after reading Luttrell’s book, and then working closely with him to recreate his experiences in Afghanistan, Walberg has a very clear idea of the difference between SEALs and pampered and/or douchey “method” actors. I highly recommend Luttrell’s book, which spends the first half explaining the incredibly rigorous process of making it into the SEALS and then completing the training. They’re the real deal. This gives me hope that Berg has stayed true to Luttrell’s story instead of depicting it with the typical Hollywood cliched characters and anti-war theme.
…..guess I’m the only one that thought it was kinda awesome….
I’m with you, it was pretty awesome. Not excusing his past behavior or statements just saying I’m glad he said this.
I don’t disagree with what he’s saying,but he has a motive for saying it. He wants people to go and see his movie. He’s one of those actors that talks so much crap I never know when he’s being sincere.
Yes. If Marky Mark’s character in a movie was a chef who loved baking cookies and set up a shelter to distribute them to the poor, he’d say how much he likes to bake and help the less fortunate. If he was a animal activitist in a movie, he’d talk ad-nauseum about how he’s always been concerned about animal rights and has always had pets etc etc.
This is all PR nonsense.
Never liked him but don’t hate him or anything not even when he made those dumbass 911 comments and I don’t have a problem with what he’s saying here. It’s good to know he’s gained some perspective, about this at least.
Wonder what he means about Ben Foster wanting to continue debating the debate? And that aside about giving him half of his salary was a complete non sequitur but at least that part of his rant has me wanting to see the movie now that I know that Ben Foster will be in it. Ben is a completely underrated actor and if he’s in it then Mark is right, he will be great just as he always is.
For folks that don’t know the 9/11 quote: “If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn’t have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, ‘OK, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don’t worry.’”
I’m still waiting for him to apologize to the man he blinded and nearly killed. Or to express remorse about it since the few times he’s been asked about it he said he ‘sleeps like a baby’.
I semi-agree with his statements, but Wahlberg is a complete tool.
MW should not have verbalized what he did post-9/11 as the unfortunate consequence to his statements is a widespread interpretation of a placement of blame on the passengers that did not attempt to overtake the terrorists (and clearly, that is insensitive). However, as a mother, I have to wonder what my reaction would have been to protect my children, just as he did. The reality is that some of us would be frozen in terror, rendered absolutely unable to move and some of us would react as heroes just as Todd Beamer (and 3 others) did on Flight 93. I honestly have no idea which category I would fall into and likewise, neither does MW having never been in that situation. That said, to wonder which category you would fall into seems perfectly normal given the terror of that day.
He is the last person I would see connected with a reality show. As for his comments he always comes across as very intense.
He has a point, but it’s hard to find it in that rambling mess.
He should SIT DOWN.
I’d love to see somebody beat this fake tough guys ass
Good for him, now I want to see his new movie.
Dear Marky- Mark,
Never speak again, unless there is a script in front of your face.
Signed,
People who see what a braying jackass you are.
This reminds me of “Tropic Thunder”, a group of actors believing they are actually doing things anywhere near the caliber of trained military personnel. He’s right about his Navy Seal comments and the respect that should be paid to those men. Love the comment about the insanity of comparing Seal training to sitting in a makeup chair for two hours. As for his 9/11 comment, it wasn’t the best thing to ever come out of his mouth, but I think he spoke in the heat of the moment. He was supposed to be on the flight originating from Boston, but his plans had changed. He’s not the only one who has thought of what he would’ve done to the terrorists, but he shouldn’t have made it sound like he alone could have saved the day. There were after all, three other planes.
Wahlberg’s 9/11 comments were just stupid. He turned something tragic into an action hero fantasy.
I freaking loved Tropic Thunder, Stiller nailed that one.
As for Markie Mark he’s a douche. There are things you can think but you just don’t say out loud. I bet if his ass was on that plane all 5 ‘6 of him would have been cowarding under his seat like the punk he is. Just to think I used to love this guy. I even went to his brother’s concert and it was good, no shame.
I don’t get his appeal in the least. Not attractive, not abundantly talented, and a blowhard to boot.
As I recall Ben Stiller mocked that sentiment from actors believing that two weeks of play acting in a semi-wilderness was equal to Navy Seal training:(my son has two friends that are Navy Seals so we have some familiarity with the training from their stories.)
I understand that he’s passionate and head strong about certain issues…
But – He seems to have an anger management problem… For some reason I could see him easily being a domestic violence hitter behind closed doors – His saying not to ask him anymore questions (because he got so worked up)… like if his wife or someone else did push the issues he’d get physical and then blame them for it.
@fingerbinger you are spot on. He turned a real life tragedy into some Hollywood shoot them up, blow them up action fantasy with him being the hero. The guy has been an idiot since his Marky Mark days.
I so love this guy!
Yeah, but, according to the transcript of the deposition (if what was leaked is accurate, that is), Tom Cruise did in fact compare his preparation for certain films to fighiting in a war, so I’m confused by why this writer says he didn’t. Even if he didn’t mean it as a direct comparison, , he still made the delusional comparison nontheless. (“I didn’t hear the Afghanistan [part], but that’s what it feels like, and certainly on this last movie, it was brutal. It was brutal.”) As for this film, I hear it is excellent. I will watch it just for the few minutes Eric Bana has on screen. He’s lovely.
He’s one of my favorite actors. So under-rated.
aGREE.
I THINK HE SHOULDA GOT FAR MORE RESPECT FOR ‘bOOGIE nIGHTS’, AND ‘THE fIGHTER’ WASNT ALL ABOUT cHRISTAN BAIL…. mARK WAS FANTASTIC IN THAT FLIK, RIGHT DOWN TO HIS LAST FRAME.
So let me get this straight, we should applaud Mark Wahlberg for standing up for Navy seals and dissing any actor who claims that their “job was as difficult as being in the military?” Wow, thanks Marky Mark for that stance on patriotism!!!! I wonder how he feels about attempted murder and felony assault? I mean we can certainly learn a lot from this effing d-bag, a-hole who beat a man senseless and is now blind as well as attacking others who happen to be black. But hey! let’s forget about Mark’s past and focus on Tom Cruise and any other actor who make comments about the military, because that is so much more offensive and hurtful. I cannot stand this a-hole. MW needs to shut the eff up and sit the eff down.
Nearly my entire family with the odd exception are military members or vets. A close family member is an Air Marshal. So when you talk about the military and 911 I naturally take it personally. I think Mark has the essence of his speech correct even if his delivery was crude. You simply can’t compare acting to the real deal. And the Seals are the best of the best! I hold a special place in my heart for the Seals.
My husband is a helicopter rescue swimmer in the USCG, and even he feels bad sometimes when he’s referred to as being “in the military” since so many men and women in the armed forces make such enormous sacrifices that most of us (including my husband and I) can’t even bear to think about. I don’t really have an opinion on MW, and wasn’t previously aware of his 9/11 comments, but as far as what he said here I think it’s amazing. In a culture so obsessed with celebrity (myself included, I’m a longtime CB reader) it’s nice to hear an actor turn the attention to the real hero’s of this country, who spend months/years away from their families, and tragically sometimes never make it back home at all.
CA Dreams, I’m from New Orleans, and your husband is a HERO. We will never forget how the USCG saved thousands of us from the waters and off of rooftops. Local, state, federal goverment failed – only the Coast Guard helped us in our worst hours. Please thank your husband from the bottom of my heart.
Aw thank you, I will definitley tell him 🙂
His wife does look “off,” but I can’t quite say what’s different. She used to be so pretty, too. I’ve never heard her open her mouth to say a word about anything. He never seemed to have much respect for her, calling her “the wife” instead of her real name and making a point to say he went on a weekly “date” with his daughter, but has only said how difficult marriage is. It took him a helluva long time to marry her, too. I’d bet he’s a serial cheater, too, and she has nothing to say about that because, after all, she is “the wife.” But as long as he keeps things discreet, I guess she’s satisfied or at least quiet. I couldn’t be in the same room with that dumb ass for five minutes without biting his head off, so I guess her face tells the picture of what she’s had to put up with from him (the long-suffering has to show up some place, I suppose). It occurs to me that he probably doesn’t give a damn what she thinks anyway or hasn’t a clue that she might have an opinion at all about anything. His self-importance probably sucks all the air from the room and she’s lucky to get a breath to breathe.
All those male actors totally think that if they trained with some soldiers for a movie then they are totally equal to them. We hear it every time when they proudly tell in interviews that they trained so hard for this and that movie. And how they spend months doing it etc. Remember how Shia was walking in those army pants on the streets like he is some real soldier and deserves to wear them?