- Mark Wahlberg said he’s been pitched so many times at churches he’s had to move to others.
- “I would literally move around from church to church because I would get pitched a lot,” he said.
- But a priest at his current parish told him about Stuart Long, who inspired his new film “Father Stu.”
Do not try to give Mark Wahlberg your big movie idea when he’s at church.
The actor revealed to Insider that there have been times when he’s had people pitch him movie ideas while he’s in church.
“I would literally move around from church to church because I would get pitched a lot,” he said.
“I’m not at church looking to find material,” he continued. “I’m trying to find some peace and quiet to be able to worship.”
However, it turned out to be a priest who told him about the incredible life of Father Stuart Long, the boxer-turned-priest who is the inspiration behind Wahlberg’s latest movie “Father Stu.”
“He was the least likely person I’d expect to be pitching me,” said Wahlberg about the priest at his parish who told him about Long. “But he told me the story a couple of times and, finally, it registered for me.”
Karen Ballard/Sony
“I realized, ‘Wow, I have been looking for something like this,'” he continued. “It’s a fantastic role, a powerful and inspiring story. It felt different and original to get people’s attention.”
Along with Wahlberg starring in the movie, which led to him having to gain 30 pounds to portray Long at the end of his life when he struggling with a rare autoimmune disease inclusion body myositis, the actor also produced and self-financed the movie.
Wahlberg, who is a Catholic, said he’s now hoping to make more faith-based movies. He said he’s even got a production company in the works that would focus solely on getting faith-based movies made.
“We are already in the works: Film, television, across the board, but putting the emphasis on quality,” Wahlberg said of his plans. “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.”
“Father Stu” is currently playing in theaters.