Mark Wahlberg Talks Contraband and The Fighter 2

Mark Wahlberg, who reached celebrity first as a musician, has long cemented his position as a movie star.  He’s best known now for his roles in great films like “Boogie Nights”, “I Heart Huckabees”, “Three Kings”, “The Italian Job”, “The Departed”, and of course “The Fighter”, and he’s proven that there’s no genre he can’t tackle.  He stopped by the SiriusXM studios to talk with Ron Bennington about his latest film, The Contender.  Below are excerpts from that interview.

Ron Bennington: So You’re a big Patriots fan, and look what you’re up against, the miracle of Denver.

Mark Wahlberg: Tim Tebow, 316 huh? That’s pretty incredible.

Ron Bennington: Do you believe he can win in New England? Is there even a chance?

Mark Wahlberg: Absolutely not. Look, it’s a miracle that they would beat the Steelers. But no. Look he’s had an amazing season, so hopefully they’ll keep him in Denver, and he’ll have a better season next year.

Ron Bennington: So how you doing man? This time last year you were at every award show that there was. And this year you’re just putting out a movie.

Mark Wahlberg: Actually while I was going to all those award shows I was shooting this movie. So every weekend I would fly back, go to another event, get dressed up in the suit…

Ron Bennington: The thing about your career that’s interesting is that you can do stuff that will end up at the award shows, but not exclusively.  You’ll also go out and make an action film, you’ll do a comedy.

Mark Wahlberg: Yea, we try to mix it up as much as possible. When I got nominated the first time, they were like, “so is this your path, are you going to go after these movies?” I said absolutely not, that’s a recipe for a disaster.

Ron Bennington: So how do you decide when it’s time to do what?

Mark Wahlberg: I usually want to do the complete opposite of the last thing I did but it depends on the material and the timing. If you find something great, a great filmmaker, go make the movie.

Ron Bennington: Now this one that you’ve got coming out, Contraband, this is action,  and the reason you went with this? You loved the script…or…

Mark Wahlberg: It’s action thriller.  We didn’t have a script. It’s a remake of a really small Icelandic movie called Reykjavik Rotterdam, and I was slipped the movie and I thought, woah, this is awesome. I mean the twists and the things…cause there’s been a million thrillers and heist movies. But it’s just the way that it’s executed that made it really fresh and interesting. So we obtained the rights and then we hired a guy that we liked to write the script and then and we met with the guy who starred in and produced the original about directing it. And we just thought it would be something really cool.

Ron Bennington: So he’s directing this. But you guys made it a little more street right? Isn’t that something that you kind of look for in these types of films?

Mark Wahlberg: Yea you want it to be edgy and real, and certainly because of my past– I look for things that I can identify with on a personal level. It helps the portrayal and reads as a lot more authentic.

Ron Bennington: Well you say, with your past. So that kind of helps give you the eye to keep things real you think? But if you come from an area where you know guys who made those choices…those things seem to be a progression of the way a career should go. For you, what got you out from making those kinds of choices?

Mark Wahlberg: I didn’t like being incarcerated.  I said, I’ll deal with this, and then I’m going to turn my life around.

Ron Bennington: And now, producing is a whole ‘nother world. So many people say they want to produce, but your stuff has gotten really successful. Boardwalk Empire is up for another Golden Globe this year. And it’s one of those shows where people are talking about it on Monday.

Mark Wahlberg: Well you look at the people that we were able to put together. Martin Scorsese directed the pilot, he’s also executive producing. Terrence Winter is probably the most talented writer that I’ve ever worked with. Tim Van Patten is fantastic, and then you look at the cast. And people are fascinated with that world. It was a really exciting time. And working with HBO– there’s nothing better.

Ron Bennington: So you’re going to keep on producing, keep on starring in all kinds of different stuff, and I’m hearing maybe The Fighter 2?

Mark Wahlberg: Yea but we don’t really want to do a sequel, we want to kind of make it’s own standalone movie. It’s really about Micky and Gatti, and also about the relationship that came from– after the first fight they became very close friends and they still continued to brutalize each other in that way, and it’s about the physical and mental effects of their fights and their relationship. Micky was forced to be with Dicky because it was his brother. He chose to be Arthur’s friend because they had that connection and there were so many similarities and they had that bond. But yet they would still go in there, and inflict that kind of pain, and have those wars.

Ron Bennington: Sugar Ray Leonard was in here not too long ago, and even looking at him now, that is a guy that you might have made a mistake and started shit with if you didn’t know exactly who he was.

Mark Wahlberg: Oh yeah, he is very unassuming

Ron Bennington: But watching those fights…that was really the golden era.

Mark Wahlberg: I’m going to tell you a funny story. A friend of mine came over to the house when all the boxers were there, and all the guys we were training with, and Micky and Dicky were there. And he’s a feisty guy but he’s not very skilled in the ring. And I said, we gotta get you in the ring, and he said “let me pick somebody.” He goes all around the room and he picks Micky– who is an unassuming guy, and we all start laughing. And he gets in there and starts throwing punches and Micky just keeps his hands, you know, pushing him away. All of a sudden I said, now Mickey, and BANG, he hit him with a body shot and dropped him. And I told him, you dumb fucker, you picked the toughest guy– the most skilled guy in the room! He’s like, “I didn’t know! He’s a little redheaded guy! What the fuck is he going to do.”

Ron Bennington: So what is it about Micky? What do you think is inside a guy who can really just bring it like that?

Mark Wahlberg: It’s crazy because he’s the sweetest guy in the world but when he gets in that ring, he wants it more than you. He wants to see who is more willing to put their life on the line– literally. And he’s just all heart. The guy is incredible.

Ron Bennington: Those were just amazing times with boxing. Do you think that’s gone now? 

Mark Wahlberg: I’m hoping not. I’m hoping there will be another great American heavyweight. You need another great middle weight. You know, Pacquiao and Mayweather are obviously the biggest stars in the sport. MMA is taking a lot of would-be fighters away, but I think they need to realize is that nobody in MMA is making any money, except the guys that own it.

Ron Bennington: So The Fighter 2 is a definite?

Mark Wahlberg: Yeah, we’re just waiting for Scott Silver to write the script.

Ron Bennington: And this week, this Friday is Contraband. Thanks so much for stopping by.

=================================

This interview can be heard in its entirety exclusively on SiriusXM satellite radio.  Not yet a subscriber?  Click here for a free trial subscription.

You can follow Mark on twitter @mark_wahlberg or on his website www.markwahlberg.com and you can follow the film on twitter @ContrabandMovie  or at their website, www.contrabandhustle.com.

What do you think? Can boxing make a come back? When was boxing’s golden age? Let us know what you think. And also let us know what you think of Contraband.