Trivia

He and some friends were actually booked to fly on one of the planes that crashed in to the twin towers on September 11, 2001. Originally planning on flying from Boston to Los Angeles but at the last minute they decided to charter a plane to Toronto, Canada for a film festival and then from there to Los Angeles. A near brush with death that he still dreams about today. "We certainly would have tried to do something to fight. I've had probably over 50 dreams about it."

His older sister Debbie passed away on September 2, 2003, leaving behind a teenage son. She died on the same day that Mark's first child, Ella Rae Wahlberg, was born.

Was a drug dealer as a young teenager.

Martin Scorsese directed Wahlberg to his very first Academy Award nomination as Sgt. Sean Dignam in The Departed (2006). Wahlberg has said that it's one of the roles he is most proud of.

As of 2008, he earns a reported $12-15 million per film in addition to a percentage of the back end profits.

Received his high school diploma 25 years after dropping out of the Snowden International School in Massachusetts (previously known as Copley Square High School).

Dropped out of school when he was age 13.

Highest paid actor of 2017, earning $68 million.

Considers The Truth About Charlie (2002) his worst film.

Was originally cast as Linus Caldwell in Ocean's Eleven (2001) but dropped out. The role went to Matt Damon.

While performing as Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch he often wore nothing but underpants on stage. Calvin Klein consequently asked him to model for Klein's underwear line.

Bought a $5 million mansion in Beverly Hills, California and moved his mother there. (December 2001)

His father, Donald E. Wahlberg Sr., a veteran of the Korean War, passed away on February 14, 2008.

Was originally a member of New Kids on the Block, but left the band before they had their big break.

Known for being very nice and polite to fans who recognize him on the street.

Had to spent about 60 days in the House of Correction in Massachusetts when he was a teenager.

Has stated that he struggled with weight gain his whole life.

Was briefly sent to prison for two 1988 incidents in which he attacked, beat, and yelled ethnic slurs at two Vietnamese men in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Both incidents were unprovoked by the victims, and in the second attack, Wahlberg beat and permanently blinded in one eye a man who was trying to help him escape from the police after the first attack.

Became a father for the first time, at age 32, when his girlfriend [now wife] Rhea Durham gave birth to their daughter, Ella Rae Wahlberg, on September 2, 2003.

Has stated his performance as Max Payne in Max Payne (2008) as his favorite role.

One of the ingredients of the cheeseburgers served at his family restaurant is "government cheese", which was provided to welfare recipients when he was a child. Wahlberg has said he wanted the burgers to honestly and accurately reflect the working-class meals he and his siblings were raised on.

His music group, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, debuted on The Arsenio Hall Show (1989) in the late 1980s.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6259 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on July 29, 2010.

On August 1, 2009, he married longtime partner, Rhea Durham, at a private Catholic ceremony in Beverly Hills, California.

Through being a distant relative of Madonna, he is also one of Céline Dion.

Has a tattoo of Bob Marley on his left shoulder.

Friends with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jimmy Butler, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, and Will Ferrell.

Became a father for the third time at age 37 when his girlfriend [now wife] Rhea Durham gave birth to their son Brendan Joseph Wahlberg on September 16, 2008.

His older siblings are: Arthur Wahlberg, James Wahlberg, Debbie Wahlberg, Michelle Wahlberg, Paul Wahlberg, Tracey Wahlberg, Robert Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg. Robert, Donnie and Mark are from their mother's third marriage with Donald Wahlberg. Half-siblings from his father's side of the family are Scott Wahlberg, Buddy Wahlberg and Donna Wahlberg.

Became a father for the fourth time at age 38 when his fiancée [now wife] Rhea Durham gave birth to their daughter Grace Margaret Wahlberg on January 11, 2010.

Was friends with fellow rapper-turned-actor Will Smith. The two hung out in the early 1990s.

He was a Calvin Klein underwear model in the early 1990s.

Older brother, Donnie Wahlberg, was a member of the boy group New Kids on the Block.

Is a fan of all the four major Boston sports teams, The New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and the Boston Red Sox.

Was spoofed by Andy Samberg on Saturday Night Live (1975). After the first skit premiered Wahlberg jokingly acted as if he was offended when appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) (Episode #6.141 (2008)), but he eventually appeared in SNL (Josh Brolin/Adele (2008)) going along with the joke.

Petitioned for a pardon as a convicted Felon in 2014 as he desired to become a law enforcement officer in Los Angeles. Felons are prohibited from becoming police officers, so his conviction would prevent him from doing so. He dropped the petition request in 2016, so his status as a Felon from the 1988 assault in Boston remains unchanged.

Narrated the documentary Juvies (2004) along with The Italian Job (2003) co-star Yasiin Bey (Mos Def supplied poetry).

Brother-in-law of Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg and cousin-in-law of Melissa McCarthy.

His favorite movie is Hard Times (1975), with Charles Bronson.

Paid $8.25 million to purchase a 6.14-acre, vacant lot in Beverly Hills, California's Beverly Park neighborhood where he plans to custom-build a mansion on the property (2009).

His father was of half Swedish and half Irish descent, and his mother's ancestry is 11/16ths Irish, one eighth French-Canadian, one eighth English, and one sixteenth Scottish. Mark's paternal grandfather, Axel Simon Wahlberg, was the son of Swedish immigrants, Axel Gustaf Wahlberg and Ida Albertina Nordstrom.

Ranked #1 on VH1's "Hottest Hotties of the 90's".

Is very close to his mother Alma McPeck.

Turned down the lead role of Jake Roenick in Assault on Precinct 13 (2005), which went to Ethan Hawke.

Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. (May 1992)

He was considered for the role of Brian O'Conner in The Fast and the Furious (2001), which went to the late Paul Walker.

Was considered & lobbied hard for the role of Neo in The Matrix but Keanu Reeves was chosen over him.

He said in one of the featurettes in The Italian Job (2003) DVD that he thought about doing the movie because it was going to be his third remake in a row (if you don't count Rock Star (2001)) after The Truth About Charlie (2002) and Planet of the Apes (2001).

Became a father for the second time at age 34 when his girlfriend [now wife] Rhea Durham gave birth to their son Michael Wahlberg on March 21, 2006.

Has a summer home in Wrentham, Massachusetts.