Beginning his career as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Mark Wahlberg went from strength to strength to become one of Hollywood’s most popular and bankable stars. While his breakthrough role came with Boogie Nights, Wahlberg hit the jackpot consistently with many blockbusters including, Fighter, The Departed, Transformers, and Father Stu which cemented his place as one of the industry’s powerhouse performers.
Wahlberg in a interview, spoke about his major influences and the stars who inspired him to achieve success. According to the Shooter actor, Robert DeNiro’s Taxi Driver directed by prolific filmmaker Martin Scorsese, was a film that made the most impact on his life and career.
Why Taxi Driver Was One Of Mark Wahlberg’s Favorite Films
Over the years, Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg has proved himself as an A-lister with many commercially successful and critically acclaimed blockbusters to his credit. The Fighter star spoke about the many films and celebrities who were strong influences in his life and career as an actor. Wahlberg named Martin Scorsese’s gritty 1976 New York drama Taxi Driver as one of his favorite films of all time.
“Well, Taxi Driver real does it for me”
When asked to elaborate on the reasons for his choice, the Father Stu actor refrained from giving a concrete answer and joked that it would reveal too much about himself as a person.
“Well, I think that’s gonna give you a little too much insight into my own twisted mind.”
Mark Wahlberg eventually had his full circle moment with Martin Scorsese by starring in The Departed for which he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Mark Wahlberg Had A Rough Childhood
Seeing Mark Wahlberg’s success as a major Hollywood star today, it is difficult to imagine that the actor has had anything but a smooth and easy life. But this could not be further from the truth. The Transformers actor, who grew up as the youngest of nine children in a rough and deprived area of Boston, went through many personal difficulties and challenges as a teenager. From courting violence to doing drugs, Wahlberg saw it all.
“I was always in trouble, and I was kind of little. In the circumstances where I was being preyed upon, at times, I had to protect and defend myself. It’s not an easy thing to navigate as a teenage kid who’s 5ft 2in, 120lb, with grown men.”
While the actor considered himself fortunate to have come out of these situations and cleaned himself up, he was determined to ensure that his own children did not have to face any of the obstacles that he did as a young boy. Wahlberg hoped that the lessons he learned would hold him in good stead to provide a balanced life for his family.
Source Far Out Magazine