CraveOnline: How was your Oscar experience? Did you get to party with Scorsese?
Mark Wahlberg: I did as much partying as I could. I was still home before 12. My kids are up really early in the morning and I don't want to deal with my daughter's energy while having a hangover. She's great, and that's a good reason to keep sober, but we went out and had dinner afterwards, and then we went to one party with Marty and everyone. I heard Marty stayed out until like 6 in the morning. I wonder what that's like. I know he was with Leo and I know what that's like.
CraveOnline: Was it fun to see him win?
Mark Wahlberg: Yeah, and he certainly tried to downplay it like it wasn't that big of a deal, but I hadn't ever seen Marty that happy. So it was nice. Based on his body of work I would assume that he would have a house full of those things, but it's his first one. So to be a part of it was really fun.
CraveOnline: What was it like to be nominated yourself?
Mark Wahlberg: Well, I had never been nominated before. There were talks of it once or twice before in my career and I had always played it off like it wasn't that big of a deal and then obviously when I got the phone call it was a very big deal. I was able to call my parents and share the news with them. It was a fun time. I actually voted for Greg Kinnear instead of myself in the first go round, but its fine. I never made a movie because I thought that I might have a chance to be nominated. I mean, being in a movie with Marty was just a chance to work with Marty and I thought that the script was great. I just tried to do something different and hope that people enjoy the films and see what happens. Anything else that happens after that is just icing on the cake.
CraveOnline: What are those ingredients that make you want to do something?
Mark Wahlberg: Well, right now I'm looking for the kinds of movies that I would go and see. The kinds of movies where I would see a TV spot and go, 'Wow. I want to see that.' Those are the movies that I think people want to see me in. I spent a good portion of my career making films, some films that I wasn't necessarily interested in, but getting an opportunity to work with a certain filmmaker was certainly reason enough to make a choice. I felt like I had a lot to learn and what better way to do it than taking a crash course in working with accomplished filmmakers.
CraveOnline: So between Shooter and I Heart Huckabees, what defines the kind of movie you want to see?
Mark Wahlberg: Well, Huckabees is a different thing. I'm not sure if I would run out and see that opening weekend, but when a filmmaker like David O. Russell says, "Hey, I'm going to write this part for you." You say, "Okay." It's something that was completely original and you kind of take a leap of faith. Shooter was just a no-brainer. Everything about it made me want to make the movie. I loved the character and I loved the story. We were looking to do something more commercial so that we can be able to get other smaller and interesting movies made and I thought that it had the best of both worlds in it. It said something. It was a smart character driven piece and not just a shoot'em up film, which I liked a lot.
CraveOnline: Did you get hurt doing any of the action stuff?
Mark Wahlberg: No. Compared to Invincible, it was nothing. It was a walk in the park, but getting down to be as thin as I was for the movie, that was difficult. Then of course there was all the mental prep, learning everything that snipers need to know in the short amount of time that we had. It was a lot of running and jumping in this one.
CraveOnline: Are you a good shot now?
Mark Wahlberg: Yeah. I could shoot pretty good before, but I had never gone through sniper training before, and yeah, I can hit a target at like 1,500 to 2,000 yards.
CraveOnline: What was your take on the political elements of the film?
Mark Wahlberg: I thought that it was great. I thought that especially if young people want to come in and see me kick some ass and get a little information at the same time, it just kind of makes you wonder if these things are really possible. They go out and ask some questions and demand some answers and if you really want to go make some changes maybe it'll inspire people to want to go out there and vote and do something.
CraveOnline: Are you into conspiracy theories?
Mark Wahlberg: I am. I am, but that could be a dangerous game. David O. Russell has this other great idea. He wants to do this movie with me about this guy, Gianni Russo who was in The Godfather and played the brother-in-law, the one came back and he hung out with Sinatra and with the Kennedys and all of this stuff. He has a whole other take on what really happened to Marilyn Monroe, JFK and Robert Kennedy. It's crazy.
CraveOnline: Did you really share a beer with the dog in the beginning?
Mark Wahlberg: Yeah. We shared about 12 that day. It took a long time to do with a lot of different angles.
CraveOnline: Did the dog get drunk?
Mark Wahlberg: Not at all. The more beer he got the better he got.
CraveOnline: And you?
Mark Wahlberg: I actually didn't really swallow that much beer because we had other scenes to shoot that day. But he wouldn't consistently go and get the beer unless you consistently gave him half of each one.
CraveOnline: It seems like this could be a franchise with this action hero. Would you be interested in sequels?
Mark Wahlberg: I certainly enjoyed making the character. This was the last movie that I made and so it's all very fresh in my head, but I've never done a sequel before. It would really depend. If the script was better than the first movie then it's worth considering, but other than that I don't know. Most sequels seem to be made for the sake of paychecks.
CraveOnline: Speaking of sequels, how do you feel about this Departed sequel they're talking about?
Mark Wahlberg: Yeah. I mean, I said the same thing to them that I said to everyone else. If they can make it better than the first one, then sure. I spoke to Bill Monahan and Marty about it and Bill has a really interesting take. I thought that it was really funny that I would be investigating the murder that I committed. That could go anywhere. So, like with The Italian Job, for instance, we were going to try and make a sequel, but never really got the script where we were all really comfortable with it. So it really depends on the material and the time period. It would be another fun character to play.
CraveOnline: Your character was a supporting role. Any reservations about making him the lead in the sequel?
Mark Wahlberg: No. I mean, look, you're working with Marty Scorsese and Bill Monahan again. If the script is really strong they'll bring in someone like De Niro to play a corrupt cop or congressman or senator. No, I don't have any problem with that.
CraveOnline: What if Marty decided not to direct it and someone else took over?
Mark Wahlberg: Like a first time video director? F*ck. Let me direct it.
CraveOnline: Would it have to be Marty for you to do it?
Mark Wahlberg: Yeah. Look, I think that would be the smart road to go. Me and Marty are doing a TV show as well on HBO and so I think that we can get Marty back.
CraveOnline: Oh, what's that?
Mark Wahlberg: It's going to be set in
CraveOnline: How long before that gets going?
Mark Wahlberg: It's all kind of happening. Marty is really jazzed about it and HBO is obviously thrilled with the idea of working with him. So I think that in the next couple of weeks we're going to sit down again.
CraveOnline: Is there a title?
Mark Wahlberg: Not yet, no.
CraveOnline: Entourage is more popular than ever. How involved are you still in that show?
Mark Wahlberg: Well, I've been off doing my own thing. If those guys need my help then they're screwed. They're so talented and so it's really just about putting the right pieces of the puzzle together and kind of between us and HBO kind of getting them to where they needed to be and now they're off on their own. I can't wait. I don't even want to see the dailies anymore. I want to see it on Sunday night like everyone else.
CraveOnline: Are you surprised how much it caught on?
Mark Wahlberg: No. We thought that it was going to be a big hit. We always thought that especially with it being on HBO. Initially when I told people about the idea they thought that it sounded like some silly MTV reality show. I was like, "No. It'll be a traditional sitcom about four guys." There's really a guy in the group that everyone can relate to and with HBO we were able to take our time and develop it. The people that we got involved in the show are just super talented, and so it's just a matter of allowing them to do their thing.
CraveOnline: It was originally based on your
Mark Wahlberg: They all have their own stories. Kevin Connolly is going crazy right now. He bought some $2 million house and he's having all these problems with construction and all this sh*t. It's so funny, but they're all doing great and they're all enjoying it.
CraveOnline: What's next for you?
Mark Wahlberg: Well, hopefully I'm going to be starting this boxing movie in the summertime playing Irish Mickey Ward who was a boxer from
CraveOnline: And you thought football was hard?
Mark Wahlberg: I know. On paper it sounds really good and then two weeks into shooting I'm wanting my mommy.
CraveOnline: Is your goal to keep challenging yourself physically in your roles?
Mark Wahlberg: Well, I promised my trainer who's my sparring partner that this would be the only boxing movie I did. I've been kicking his ass everyday, but certainly while I can I want to do that. I always wanted to be an athlete and so it was a dream to be able to put on an NFL uniform and get out there and play a champion without actually having to spend all the hours in the ring and take all the hits that you have to take. It's a dream for sure.
