Mark Wahlberg earned an Oscar nomination for his role in the 2006 crime thriller The Departed, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing behind the scenes with director Martin Scorsese.
Wahlberg, 52, joined Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen in the star-studded cast. He portrayed Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam, who selected Trooper William “Billy” Costigan Jr, played by DiCaprio, to go undercover to discover a mob spy in the Massachusetts State Police.
“I was a little pissed about a couple of things,” the Daddy’s Home star said on a recent episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast. “Originally I was supposed to play another part. We agreed that I would play Dignam and I saw the advantages of playing that part and how I would approach the situation with everybody playing opposite me.”
Wahlberg had more films lined up following The Departed and was preparing to star in Invincible, a biopic of Philadelphia Eagles football star Vince Papale, which required him to have longer hair.
“I was only supposed to do a couple of weeks on The Departed so I was able to grow my hair for Invincible. But then the schedule changed, and four months later, I’m still working on The Departed, so I wouldn’t cut my hair and Marty was pissed off,” Wahlberg said. “He was like, ‘You’ve got to cut your f—ing hair,’ and I was, ‘I don’t give a f–k.’”
Eventually, he settled his disagreement with Scorsese, now 81.
“I understand where Marty was coming from,” Wahlberg continued. “He had to deal with Jack, he had to deal with Matt and Leo and everything — the studio and everyone else that was in the cast.”
Looking back, Wahlberg is happy he accepted what became a landmark film in his career.
“We had a couple of issues, but ultimately, when I read that particular role, I was like, ‘OK, this is a good role. This is an opportunity for me to really kind of go off and have some fun,’” he recalled.
In a separate interview, Wahlberg revealed that he initially turned down The Departed.
“I wasn’t committed to making the movie and my agent told Marty that I was,” he told GQ in 2019. “Marty called me up and he was so excited about making this movie together. I said, ‘I’m not doing the movie.’”
Then Wahlberg met with Scorsese in person, and the director convinced him to accept the role by allowing him to make changes to his character.
“I read the script again, and I was pretty angry and I said again I wasn’t going to do it. Marty told me, ‘Look at this part, look at what you get to do with all these people.’ He knows I’m from that [Boston] world and I talked to him about improvising and doing my own thing and he said, ‘Dude, you’re free to do what you want to do,’” Wahlberg remembered.
The Departed became one of the most honored films of 2007, earning the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing.
News
Boxing God Vasiliy Lomachenko ‘Knocked Out’ George Kambosos Jr. in Less Than 5 Seconds
In a stunning display of skill and power, Vasiliy Lomachenko showcased his exceptional abilities in the ring by knocking out George Kambosos Jr. in less than 5 seconds. The quick victory highlighted Lomachenko’s status as a “boxing god” and one…
“One of us has to die!” Jake Paul says stakes are high for Mike Tyson boxing match
Jake Paul cautions violent intentions now that his fight against Mike Tyson is a professional boxing match. Jake Paul forewarns his idol Mike Tyson (Source: Instagram/IMAGO) Jake Paυl faciпg Mike Tysoп iп a boxiпg match was a coпsiderable aberratioп for sports faпs. ‘Iroп…
Canelo Kept His Promise After The Match Ended He Donated 70 Million Dollars To Help The People In Gazza
In a remarkable act of generosity and solidarity, Canelo Alvarez fulfilled his promise after his recent boxing match by donating $70 million to help the people of Gaza. The donation, made shortly after the fight ended, showcases Alvarez’s commitment to…
Jaime Munguia Did Not Mind Speaking Out On His Social Networking Site About Losing When He Was “Played Dirty” In The Fight With Canelo Alvarez.
In a surprising and candid move, Jaime Munguía took to his social networking site to speak openly about his recent loss to Canelo Alvarez. Munguía expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the fight and accused Alvarez of “playing dirty”…
Floyd Mayweather Declares He Could Defeat Bruce Lee With Just Five Punches If They Were Born In The Same Era
In a bold statement that has sent shockwaves through the world of combat sports, boxing legend Floyd Mayweather has declared that he could defeat martial arts icon Bruce Lee with only two punches if they were born in the same…
Tyson Fury looked gutted at ringside when Daniel Dubois KO’d his cousin with thunderous right hand
Tyson Fury was stone-faced when he watched his cousin Nathan Gorman get knocked out by Daniel Dubois. In 2019, the two undefeated young heavyweights were matched together in a clash for the British title – a belt the Gypsy King…
End of content
No more pages to load