Mark Wahlberg went from Calvin Klein model to box office superstar.
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg was born on June 5, 1971 in a suburb of Boston, the youngest of nine children.
Before he started feeling the good vibrations, Wahlberg briefly joined New Kids on the Block with his brother, Donnie Wahlberg.
Wahlberg then moved on to the Funky Bunch and scored a top hit with “Good Vibrations” in 1991.
Wahlberg’s modeling campaign with Calvin Klein caused a stir with a series of provocative pictures in 1992.
Since no one objected to Wahlberg’s boxer briefs, he continued his short modeling career with a spread in Vanity Fair, shot by Annie Leibovitz.
What’s a great way to break into acting in the ’90s? A fitness video. “The Marky Mark Workout: Form, Focus, Fitness” helped viewers like you get washboard abs. This also marked when Wahlberg left the Funky Bunch to start his acting career.
His first major acting role was in the 1993 TV movie “The Substitute.” While the film was Wahlberg’s big move away from his singing career, he still went by “Marky Mark.”
Wahlberg’s next appearance was in “The Basketball Diaries,” where he starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Lorraine Bracco. The role marked his official name change to “Mark Wahlberg.”
Next, Wahlberg plays the deceptively charming boyfriend of Reese Witherspoon in the 1996 thriller, “Fear.” It turns out he’s crazy and tries to murder his girlfriend’s family.
“Boogie Nights” was a huge boost for Wahlberg’s career. He received rave reviews for his performance as Eddie Adams, a.k.a. Dirk Diggler, a high school dropout turned rising porn star in the late ’70s.
In 2000, Wahlberg starred as Bobby Shatford, an inexperienced crew member aboard a swordfishing boat in “The Perfect Storm.” The film also starred George Clooney, Diane Lane and John C. Reilly.
Tim Burton directed Wahlberg in the 2001 sci-fi remake, “Planet of the Apes.”
Jennifer Aniston might be better known for her good hair days, but Wahlberg gives her a run for her money as the lead singer of a a heavy metal tribute band — who then gets to be the lead in the band he’s paying tribute to — in 2001’s “Rock Star.”
Wahlberg served as executive producer on the hit HBO show “Entourage” starting in 2004. Since the series was loosely based on his own life, he made quite a few cameos.
Wahlberg hit his stride as a go-to leading man when “The Departed” hit theaters in 2006. Martin Scorsese directed the all-star cast, and Wahlberg’s performance as Staff Sgt. Sean Dignam earned him a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor.
Wahlberg shows off his comedy chops in the buddy-cop hit, “The Other Guys” in 2010. Playing partner to a mild-mannered Will Ferrell would be frustrating for anyone, but Wahlberg’s anger management issues as Terry Hoitz helped make the movie a hit.
Wahlberg plays a troubled boxer fighting for a comeback in “The Fighter.” Nominated for seven Academy Awards in 2010, “The Fighter” was based on the life of Boston boxer Micky Ward.
Staying with the Boston theme, Wahlberg starred in “Family Guy” creator Seth McFarlane’s “Ted.” His role as John Bennett, a man who’s yet to outgrow his foul-mouthed teddy bear friend, was a huge box-office success.
Wahlberg gets down to business — alongside Eric Bana, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster — to defeat the Taliban in the 2013 action-packed film, “Lone Survivor.”
Wahlberg had a leading role in “Transformers: Age of Extinction” in 2014. Wahlberg played Cade Yeager, a struggling inventor and single father who makes a discovery that brings down the wrath of the Autobots and Decepticons in the fourth installment of the Transformers franchise.
Wahlberg starred as Jim Bennett in the 2014 indie drama “The Gambler,” which also starred Brie Larson, John Goodman and Jessica Lange.
The actor had a cameo in the 2015 “Entourage” film,” in which he showed up as himself. Adrien Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara reprised their roles from the popular TV show for the big-screen film.
Of course, Wahlberg returned for the 2015 sequel to “Ted,” directed and written by Seth MacFarlane. The film grossed $216 million worldwide while it was produced for $68 million.
Wahlberg starred in the 2015 comedy “Daddy’s Home” alongside Will Ferrell. In the film, Ferrell marries Sara (Linda Cardellini) and everything goes well until her ex-husband (Wahlberg) shows up.
The transformation of Mark Wahlberg rounds out with “Deepwater Horizon” in October 2016. The film chronicles the disaster that took place on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon in 2010, and also stars Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Dylan O’Brien and Kate Hudson.
