Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
People may still waste their time teasing him about his hip-hop past, but there's no getting around the fact that Mark Wahlberg has built up an impressive filmography over the years and delivered a series of really strong performances to match. After strong supporting roles in THE BASKETBALL DIARIES and FEAR, Wahlberg sealed the deal as far as I'm concerned playing Dirk Diggler in BOOGIE NIGHTS.
That film single handedly proved to me that, with the right director, Wahlberg could really do something special in acting, and he went on to prove that in works like THREE KINGS, THE PERFECT STORM, THE ITALIAN JOB, I HEART HUCKABEES, and THE DEPARTED. Even if you didn't like last year's THE LOVELY BONES, there's no getting around the fact that Wahlberg was the single best thing in it. And he got to play off his handsome, buff persona a bit in DATE NIGHT earlier this year and turned in a very funny performance, as Tina Fey drooling in his proximity. By all account, Wahlberg has stepped deep into the comedy pile opposite Will Ferrell in THE OTHER GUYS, which opens today. I spoke to him briefly at Comic-Con a couple weeks back, and he was extremely personable and fun to talk with. And he did something that few actors do during interviews--he leaned into the conversation. Many actor will sit up straight in their chain to provide the illusion of good posture. But Wahlberg would rather get into the conversation and have thing feel less formal. Just an observation. Anyway, enjoy Mark Wahlberg…
Capone: It’s good to meet you.
Mark Wahlberg: It’s very nice to meet you.
Capone: I’m kind of curious if Adam had you take a look at any kind of classic buddy cop movies, so you could look at the guys in the background and check out what they are up to.
MW: He didn’t ask me to do anything.
Capone: Really?
MW: No. They took me to dinner and said, “Hey, we would be interesting in working with you.” I said, “I’m in.” They were like “Well, would you like to hear the idea?” I said, “No, I’ve been dying to do a comedy. I think you guys are the best in the business. You want to go and write a part for me. Are you kidding me? This is like the ideal situation.”
Capone: This is before it was even written?
MW: Yeah, this was early on.
Capone: Okay.
MW: So then they went back and they wrote it and then they came back, and we had a read-through at the studio, and they loved everything that we did, and that was it. Basically, we show up and on the set he would ask me to try different things. They offered us the opportunity to do like cop stuff and to go fire guns and these are all things that I have done many times before. But I don’t think he wanted us doing it that way. I’ve seen them all anyways…[laughs]
[Both Laugh]
Capone: That’s true. Did you ever play that game where you look at the secondary guys and you go “I wonder what happened to those guys” or even just the actors, like “What did those guys ever do as actors after that?” That’s something I just always used to do.
MW: I certainly watched… You know what the thing is? When I watched those movies, I wasn’t acting. So now obviously when I watch a movie I’m thinking about things about the performances and things like that. And those were the days when I actually really loved watching movies.
Capone: Back when you were younger?
MW: Yeah. There were so many great movies with so many great actors, character actors… I used to watch those movies with my dad.
Capone: Yeah? Give me some examples. What do you remember that really made an impact on you?
MW: The first movie I ever saw in the theater was HARD TIMES with Charles Bronson.
Capone: Good choice.
MW: Yeah, which was fantastic. And you know things like ROCKY made a huge impact. My dad just loved movies and he loved guy’s guys, like James Cagney and John Garfield, Edward G. Robinson.
Capone: The originals.
MW: Right. So I grew up watching those kinds of movies.
Capone: Any love for Bogart?
MW: Yeah, but he loved Cagney a lot more than Bogart. For whatever reason, he was still kind of on that "pretty boy" list, you know? Not so much like Monty Cliff, but still kind of borderline, you know?
Capone: Yeah.
MW: He had the gravelly voice, but there was still something… But I certainly appreciate him more now. Actually I rewatched CASABLANCA not too long ago.
Capone: So you actually saw those older films as you were growing up? That’s pretty impressive.
MW: Oh yeah.
Capone: Were you a little concerned about stepping into this film where there’s a little bit more established relationship like between an actor and a director and you kind of came in? Or did that not even come into play?
MW: No, because it’s not like when we went to dinner it was the two of them sitting over there and kind of alienating me. They made me feel very comfortable right away. They made me feel like “Hey, you want to join the team?” or “You want to try out for the team?” This was something where they did just welcome me with open arms.
[Will Ferrell is hovering within earshot at this point talking to Liv Tyler who has been in the room quite a while chatting with their THE OTHER GUYS co-star Eva Mendes. Tyler eventually turns her attention to Wahlberg and interrupts our interview.]
They may never want to work with me or talk to me after. I think I’ve worn out my welcome with Will. They’re like “Oh, he’s really shy,” like trying to get me to open up. Once I’m comfortable, you’ve got to find a way to fuckin' shut me up. [Laughs] I’m like fucking with him all of the time and then I got to where I was thinking “Maybe he’s getting a little annoyed with me.” Then I talked to him and I said, “Will, if I’m fucking around too much, just tell me.
Capone: Are you talking about like when the cameras are running or not?
MW: No, when the cameras are off. Or when we're in the junkets and stuff. We are doing interviews together and shit and I’m just like “I think this guy is like one of my childhood buddies,” but he may be getting fed up with me. You’d have to ask him.
Capone: Were you a fan of that SNL era when he was on there?
MW: You know what? I never really watched SNL. I did during the days of Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscapo
Capone: So like the second golden age? Yeah.
MW: Right, and even earlier than that. Belushi and Steve Martin. I’m more old school.
Capone: And yet you finally made your appearance on the show not that long ago.
MW: I did and only because they wanted to fuck with me. Lorne Michaels was like trying for a long time to get me to host the show, and it really just wasn’t my thing, but then they figured out a way to get me there, even if only for a brief visit.
[Both Laugh]
Capone: I’m curious about the two films you’ve got coming up, like you’ve got another film with David O. Russell. I actually think I remember hearing in an interview that Adam had seen you in I HEART HUCKABEES and saw you could pull this off, is that right?
MW: Yeah, well the first time I ever met Adam was David O. Russell’s house. We just said “hello” I and there really wasn’t much to it, but yeah I think that’s where it started.
Capone: Yeah, but the other one, THE RAVEN, is like a sci-fi piece that you haven't shot yet.
MW: No, we actually just saw the short and we were like “Holy shit, this would be awesome as a movie.” We talked to the director and said “We would love to make a full-length feature with him. I would love to produce it and play the part.” We went to set that up at Universal. They are writing it now and hopefully we will go shoot it in the near future.
Capone: Good.
MW: Yeah, a whole new take and approach to the superhero genre.
Capone: It sounds like a great idea.
MW: It’s fantastic. Have you seen the short?
Capone: No, but I just read about it today…
MW: You have got to check it out!
Capone: … and as soon as I get freed up I’m going to go look it. All right, thanks a lot, Mark
MW: Is that it? Wow, that was fast. It was a pleasure, thanks.
Capone: Take it easy.
And here's that short for THE RAVEN that Wahlberg was referring to:
-- Capone
capone@aintitcool.com
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