Mark Wahlberg Is Getting Fat On Purpose
Mark Wahlberg has goals. They include a lot of pancakes.
This article is more than 2 years old
Mark Wahlberg has six weeks to get as fat as he can. The actor has a recent history of working in action films. For those roles, he has needed to be bulked up. All muscle, all the time. He trains regularly. He’s well known for being fit and is one of the actors who gets asked about his workout routine. But now, the actor is about to star in a faith-based picture. While speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, he explained that he’s flying in to the set to film some boxing scenes for Father Stu. Once those scenes are out of the way, he will have six weeks to get as fat as he can. Bring on the pancakes. The man wants some Dennys.
The actor has been told to gain thirty pounds as healthily as he can. However, Mark Wahlberg has set a personal goal of eating as much junk as possible and trying for 30 pounds. Typically, the 49 year old actor is only able to eat healthy, muscle building meals. This is a real treat for him. Since he hasn’t gotten fat for a role before, he isn’t clear on what to expect. Will 30 pounds be a doable goal for the actor? And will 30 pounds really make Wahlberg look fat? He’s only 5’8″, so that may help. And is six weeks a doable time frame for 30 pounds?
If we take a look at what other actors have done for roles, it does seem possible that Mark Wahlberg can gain 30 pounds in this timeframe. Ryan Gosling famously drank melted ice cream to gain weight. He gained 60 pounds to star in The Lovely Bones because that’s how he thought his character should look. Unfortunately, he didn’t communicate that with the director and was then fired by Peter Jackson. Christian Bale has gained about 40 pounds twice for different roles.
One thing that we can take away from these experiences though, is that it isn’t as fun as it sounds. Charlize Theron, who has gained weight twice for different roles, says that it is fun for the first three weeks. You can eat anything you want! This is the early enthusiasm we’re seeing from Mark Wahlberg. However, she warns that after those first three weeks, it is a chore. You don’t feel comfortable in your skin. You feel down. She reports feeling depressed. And then it’s a task. You don’t want to eat, you’re full, but you can’t. The foods that are now “restricted” are salads, which most celebrities are used to having as a staple.
It’s another diet where your choices are limited and where you have to take the time to eat, whether you want to or not. So, similar to Mark Wahlberg’s past workout routine, his day is largely still going to be about taking care of his body, just in a very different context as he packs on the pounds.
For this role, Mark Wahlberg likely feels it is very worth it, even if it becomes a pain to eat so many pancakes. Previously titled Stu, the upcoming project Father Stu is something he has been working on seeing happen for a long time. The film is a break from the typical fare he’s been working on. Rosalind Ross is the writer and director on the project. Mel Gibson has now signed on to play Wahlberg’s father. Filming begins on Monday. Hopefully the pancakes taste as good as Wahlberg dreams.
