Mark Wahlberg has apparently been in a Flop Era? I guess I didn’t realize because… I don’t watch a lot of Mark Wahlberg films. Jumping into the actiony, stunt-heavy niche was a smart move for him. And he was good in The Departed, I concede that, though it was a role well-suited to him to begin with. But that movie seems more the exception than the rule for Mark’s career, also because he was part of an ensemble as opposed to being The Star. Well, funny story, talk show host Graham Norton recently remembered the time Mark was a guest 12 years ago and was “hell” to interview. Unlike most American talk shows, Graham’s has several celebs promoting different projects all on together for the duration of the episode. Everyone gets their own time to chat, but there’s also room for interaction and spontaneous moments. Unless you’re Mark, who showed up in a questionable state of inebriation and proceeded to interrupt the other guests’ stories:
Graham Norton said it was “hell” to interview Mark Wahlberg when The Departed actor appeared on The Graham Norton Show in 2013. “Mark Wahlberg was a weird one because when he arrived, he didn’t seem drunk,” Norton said at the 2025 Henley Literary Festival on Friday, according to The Independent. “He told me about his film, told me a couple of stories about stunts going wrong or whatever, and then it was only 15 minutes into the show when whatever the hell was in his system really took hold — and it was hell.” Norton insinuated that Wahlberg may have drank too much before arriving on set, leading the actor to cause chaos while filming. “You tried to tell a story, he’d just interrupt,” Norton explained, noting that at one point, Michael Fassbender was finally getting to his story’s anecdote without interruption. “I thought: this one is going well—I wonder why, and I looked over at Mark Wahlberg and he was asleep. So yeah, we don’t encourage [drinking].” Although Wahlberg’s representatives didn’t immediately respond to request for comment from the Daily Beast, Wahlberg explained his appearance to Digital Spy in 2013, saying he “tried to do a bit, and some people took it a little too seriously.”
What a jerk! How narcissistic not to let other people have their moment, instead making it all about him. Which he really did, like a toddler, totally killing the rhythm of Sarah Silverman’s story. And to just fall asleep — who could possibly do that on Michael Fassbender circa 2013?! That was the best Fassy vintage! Sadly, this whole anecdote is completely in line with my impression of Wahlberg. An impression that was only reaffirmed with the All the Money in the World shenanigans. Remember that, when the filmmakers were scrambling to reshoot ASAP to edit out the credibly-accused sexual offender, and everyone rallied to work over the Thanksgiving holiday at per diem, yet Wahlberg still insisted on $1.5 million? Yeah, that. When it all came to light, his explanation at the time was something something contracts and that’s just market value! Deflecting without taking responsibility, much like the line above where he said Norton and the other guests simply took his bit “too seriously.” And speaking of credibly-accused sexual offenders, Wahlberg has consistently normalized Trump. I’d say Wahlberg’s Flop Era started a long time ago, and is still going.
Mark and his wife Rhea Durham in 2013:
photos credit: Udo Salters/Wenn/Avalon, Martin Sloan/Avalon, Getty Images for Netflix
He’s never not been in his flop error for me. I remember a lot of his racist actions when Marky Mark and the Funky bunch was how he was trying to break the industry. I’ve never let that action star stuff move me. He’s consistently shown you who is for close to 40 years, he’s just packaging it different. He’s an ignorant jerk.
He was part of a group that beat a Vietnamese man in a hate crime as a teen and has said that if he was on one of the airplanes on 9/11 things would have gone down differently. When people tell you who they are, believe them. He is trash. He also refuses to acknowledge his Marky Mark days which is just ridiculous.
And, iirc, tried to get Obama to give him a presidential pardon for the beating/blinding of said elderly man. Just looking at his smug face infuriates me!
I really don’t like him after his comments about black people in film and production. No thanks
Excuse me … WHAT? My wife is biracial and a production manager and I’m in art department in the film industry.
So no Black people in cast and crew? I need some context please and thank you 🙏🏻
F…
Dude got lucky because he had a famous brother and was decent in his early roles (basketball diaries, boogie nights etc) afterwards he didn’t care about the art of acting and went for the money which is why he went the action route which led to his flop era. He is most likely maga imo.
Don’t forget how he moved to Vegas several years ago claiming he was going to make it into the new Hollywood. Flopity, Flop Flop.
I can’t stand him and find him repellent.
He’s gross.
Mark “Hate Crime Wahlberg – may he remain in his flop era and then go away.
I was in the audience for the recording of this show – it was awful. They did him a massive favour by how they edited it for TV. I remember the entire audience collectively groaning at one point, because he was being so obnoxious.
The show itself was really awkward and he was very obnoxious in it. Like others have said, he sucks.
He’s the definition of a middling actor. He was fine in The Departed but he was basically playing a caricature of himself IMO. His best performance was in Boogie Nights and it’s all been downhill for him from there. He was in a movie called “The Truth About Charlie” with Thandiwe Newton in the early aughts, and he was awful. Absolutely dreadful.
Graham Norton is the consummate interviewer. Who else can expertly manager 4-6 big name celebrities simultaneously? If he says Marky Mark is difficult, I believe him.