We all know Mark Wahlberg as a blockbuster actor who has starred in films such as The Departed, The Perfect Storm, Lone Survivor, and Transformers. Indeed, in 2017 he was the highest paid film star in the world.
What most people don’t know about Wahlberg, however, is that he is also a devout Christian who starts his day with prayer, reading Scripture, and going to Mass. And after making his latest movie, Father Stu, about a boxer turned priest whose faith helps him overcome adversity, Wahlberg has committed himself to putting his faith into action by making more movies that uplift people and provide powerful, positive messages. As he stated to Entertainment Tonight:
“I feel like this is starting a new chapter for me in that, now, doing things like this — real substance — can help people. I definitely want to focus on making more. I wouldn’t say necessarily just faith-based content but things that will help people. So, hopefully this movie will open a door for not only myself but for lots of other people in Hollywood to make more meaningful content.”
Wahlberg is even starting up a production company that would focus on making this type of enriching film. As he stated to the Insider:
“We are already in the works: Film, television, across the board, but putting the emphasis on quality. The hope is I can intrigue other high-caliber talent to come and do what I did with ‘Father Stu’: Bet on themselves, take a chance. It’s not always about the paycheck.”
Why did Father Stu, which opens in theaters on April 13, 2022, have such a life-changing impact on Wahlberg? First, he saw much of his own life story in that of Father Stu’s. As he told Raymond Arroyo of Fox News:
“[I saw] so many things. Obviously, my past, but also my present. And my looking for my purpose … God has continued to bless me and put me in this situation, not to continue to grow and work on Mark Wahlberg, the person, but to do His work and give me… the skills and the tools to go out there and articulate the message that he wants me to.”
Second, he saw the urgent need to proclaim the message of faith, hope, and real manhood that brightly blazed in the life of Father Stu. As he told Fox News:
“People need to have faith and hope. Young men need to know what it’s like to be a real man … I didn’t know that we’d be releasing this movie in a pandemic. I just knew that I needed to make this movie and this was my calling. This was my mission, and now it’s needed more than ever. And hopefully, it will do some really important work and help a lot.”
And as a result, the movie had a tremendous impact on him:
“It’s certainly a turning point for me in my life… I need to stop focusing so much on Mark and start doing much more work for God and for people and for people that are less fortunate.”
Mark Wahlberg is not just a dedicated actor; he is also a dedicated Christian who wants to put his faith into action in his work. Let’s hope that Wahlberg will inspire other Christian actors, directors, and producers to do the same; this is the only way we can change the decadent movies and television shows coming out of Hollywood. Rather than curse the darkness of Tinsel Town, let us light some candles like Mark Wahlberg.