Mark Wahlberg is an award-winning American actor, reality TV star, and producer who rose to fame after launching a successful rapping and modeling career.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Wahlberg found himself in trouble with the law at a young age, serving 45 days in prison for an assault conviction at 16. Upon his release, his older brother Donnie Wahlberg helped start his music career under the stage name Marky Mark. In the 1990s, Wahlberg's band released two hit singles, "Good Vibrations" and "Wildside." Not long after, Calvin Klein took notice of the young Wahlberg and commissioned him as their underwear model in a nationwide advertising campaign.
By the mid-90s, Wahlberg's newfound fame allowed him to ditch music for the film industry. His screen debut was in "Renaissance Man" (1994), followed by his leading role in "Fear" (1996). From the 2000s until the present day, Wahlberg has landed major roles in big-budget action and critically acclaimed drama films, including: "Planet of the Apes" (2001), "The Italian Job" (2003), "The Departed" (2006), "The Fighter" (2010), "The Other Guys" (2010), "Ted" (2012), "Mile 22" (2018), "Instant Family"(2018), Spenser Confidential (2020), and "Father Stu"(2022).
Wahlberg took the leading role in two Transformers live-action films: "Transformers: Age of Extinction" and "Transformers: The Last Knight." By 2017, he was the world's highest-paid actor. Wahlberg has also executive produced multiple HBO series such as "Boardwalk Empire," "How to Make It in America," and "Ballers." He has received nominations for two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, nine Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards for both his acting and producing roles. By 2010, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Along with his brother Donnie, Wahlberg runs the Wahlburgers chain, co-starring in a reality TV series on the company from 2014 to 2019. He is married to Rhea Durham and they share four children.
