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Not many can say they’ve had the gall to turn down a hefty paycheck of $5 million and the golden opportunity of collaborating with one of Hollywood’s most esteemed and talented filmmakers like Martin Scorsese. But as it turns out, Mark Wahlberg can.
Related:Martin Scorsese Used Half of $90M Movie Budget to Line the Pockets of Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Leonardo DiCaprio in 2006 Movie That Won Best Picture
Mark Wahlberg Initially Turned DownThe Departed
Martin Scorsese‘s crime thrillerThe Departedwas a critical and commercial triumph, ranking as one of the most remarkable movies shepherded by the legendary 80-year-old filmmaker. Besides that, the $90 million venture also ended up landing one of its leading stars,Mark Wahlberg, his first-ever Academy Award nomination. But, as it turns out, he almost didn’t score that milestone because he’d originally turned down the project.
In an old interview with GQ, Wahlberg, 52, disclosed how he’d found himself in a pickle with the Oscar-winning film because though he’d declined the offer, his agent had confirmed otherwise. So, Scorsese, who was under the impression that theTedstar was onboard, called Wahlberg with conspicuous delight, only to be turned down.
“The Departed was interesting because I wasn’t committed to making the movie and my agent told Marty that I was. So, Marty called me up, and he was so excited about making this movie together. I said, ‘I’m not doing the movie, you know.'”
When his agent discovered he’d denied working with one of the biggest icons in the history of cinema, he completely flipped out and begged Wahlberg to give it a shot. The same weekend, the latter was off to Toronto to meet Scorsese, fueled by an acrimonious conviction of not doing the movie.
The reason why Wahlberg hadn’t been too keen on playing Sergeant Sean Dignam inThe Departedcan be chalked up to the ever-present issue of creative differences at large. But theGoodfellasdirector wasn’t one to back down either, and so, with a little persuasion here and a sprinkle of reassurance there, Scorsese convinced theUnchartedstar to join the ensemble star cast. Little did Wahlberg know though, his problems were far from over.
Related:“You’ve got to cut your f–king hair”: Mark Wahlberg Risked Losing $291M Oscar Winning Movie With Matt Damon for His Ego Clash With Director Over Haircut
Disputes And Squabbles Followed Throughout the Movie
Wahlberg’s biggest concern that initially made him reject the film was the seeming lack of creative liberty, which Scorsese ultimately smoothed out by guaranteeing him the freedom to improvise. Even so, the two ended up in a tug-of-war on the set on more than one occasion.“Marty and I were constantly in this struggle,”he recounted.“I had problems with Marty.”
At one point, they even ended up butting heads on the subject of Wahlberg’s hair, which the director wanted to be short in length but the former refused to cut it.
“Marty was pissed off,”the actor recalled.“He was like, ‘You’ve got to cut your fking hair.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t give a fk.’”
Related:“I think I want to f*ck her again”: Matt Damon Brought Jack Nicholson’s Disturbingly Sinister Idea for ‘The Departed’ That Left Fans Traumatized
Wahlberg’s sordid experience wasn’t just limited to Scorsese though, he also clashed with his co-stars, the likes of which included industry titans like Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson.“I was mad at everybody. It was Leo, Matt, and Jack. F**king Jack, too,”Wahlberg admitted, claiming that his anger persisted the entire time he was“in character.”
Well, at least it was a glowing addition to his resume.
The Departedis available for streaming on Netflix and Max.
Khushi Shah
Articles Published :857
With a prolific knowledge of everything pop culture and a strong penchant for writing, Khushi has penned over 700 articles during her time as an author at FandomWire.An abnormal psychology student and an fervent reader of dark fiction, her most trusted soldiers are coffee and a good book.
