Mark Wahlberg Prays God Will Forgive Him for 'Boogie Nights': 'I Just Always Hope That God Is a Movie Fan'
Mark Wahlberg is asking for forgiveness.
The Oscar-nominated actor, 46, opened up about his impressive film career during an interview with the Chicago Inc on Friday, admitting he’s had a few missteps along the way.
“I just always hope that God is a movie fan and also forgiving because I’ve made some poor choices in my past,” he said.
When asked if he’d ever prayed for forgiveness for any specific movies, the actor replied: “Boogie Nights is up there at the top of the list.”
Wahlberg portrayed porn star Dirk Digger in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 classic. The actor shared a Screen Actors Guild best ensemble nomination for his work in the film.
During the appearance alongside Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, Wahlberg, a devout Catholic, also opened up about his adolescent prison sentence for the assault of a Vietnamese immigrant.
“It was a big wake-up call for me,” he said of going to jail. “A lot of people go to God when they get into trouble. When I heard the jail doors close behind me … I knew that was just the beginning for me.”
He continued: “I feel remorse when I’ve made mistakes. If I could go back and change a lot of things that I did, I would. I look for ways to give back.”
The actor said he hopes his story helps inspire others to turn their life around.
“I’ve never been shy about sharing my past and the bad decisions I’ve made and being affiliated with gangs, being incarcerated,” he said. “So absolutely I think they can identify with me on a personal level, and that’s why I’ve continued to try to do as much as I can to help young people.”