Mark Wahlberg talks with Miami Herald

Mark talked with The Miami Herald about gaining and losing weight for movie roles and promoting "Broken City", here is the article.


Mark Wahlberg in Miami to talk ‘Broken City’

Mark Wahlberg plays a dogged cop in Broken City, but the promoting part is proving tough.

The hulking actor walked the red carpet outside Regal South Beach Wednesday night for the premiere much to screaming fans’ delight, then started interviews at the Setai Hotel bright and early Thursday morning.

Listening to his press tour schedule almost evokes a sympathy yawn.

“I flew from L.A. to Chicago, Chicago to Atlanta, Atlanta to Philly, Philly to Miami, then I go back to L.A. and New York on Monday,” Wahlberg, looking ripped in a tight black T-shirt, explained of his busy week.

But the Boston native, 41, is nothing if not dedicated.

For the four movies he did this year, his weight yo-yoed, depending on the role.

“I’ll do what’s called for,” he said simply. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do if I think the part is cool.”

The Ted star started his year out making Broken City, in which he uncovers a huge scandal involving the NYC mayor, played by Russell Crowe. The two stars, though they had never worked together, had great chemistry.

“Our first scene was our confrontation at the end. Allen [ Hughes, the director] asked, ‘Do you want to rehearse?’ And we both looked at each other and said, ‘Point the cameras, and let’s go.’ ’’

Not everything went so easily. Wahlberg remembers an evening production meeting he had in the early stages with Hughes ( Menace II Society, Dead Presidents).

“I had a big bag of food, some wine, and Allen kind of looked at me like, ‘You’re going to get rid of all that, right?’ He wanted me to be as thin as possible.”

For Broken City, the onetime underwear model got down to 165 pounds, then shot up to 212 for Michael Bay’s locally shot Pain and Gain, to play a bodybuilder.

There was no clubbing for the father of four (wife is model and Florida native Rhea Durham).

“I didn’t go out at all,” Wahlberg explained of his time in South Florida. “I’d eat at 7, be in bed at 8 and up by 5 a.m. to be in the gym, then on set by about 9.”

Safe to say, Pain and Gain was a physical grind. “I love Miami, the whole place, but I didn’t love the climate in June. It was a little warm for me running around.”

Thirty days after leaving Miami, Wahlberg again had to bring his weight down to 180 for crime drama Two Guns, with Denzel Washington.

2012 wasn’t over. Two weeks after wrapping, Wahlberg began SEAL training to play Marcus Lutrell, the sole survivor of the failed 2005 mission to capture Taliban leader, Admad Shad.

“So that was my year,” said Wahlberg, the youngest of nine siblings. “But it’s my job.”

The former rapper’s days wouldn’t be so filled if he also didn’t produce projects for both the big and small screen.

“I wanted to control my own destiny. How involved am I? Probably too much.”