It seems odd that Mark Wahlberg, a star who became famous in the 90s for, let’s be honest, rapping while partially clothed, is now a star who talks so openly about his faith.
But the committed Catholic and accomplished actor does that on a regular basis, telling TODAY recently, “Even with my faith, I don’t force it on [my kids]. But they know that dad can’t start the day without being in prayer, can’t start the day without reading my Scripture or going to Mass. And hopefully, instead of forcing that on them, they’ll say, ‘Well, if it works for dad, maybe it’ll work for us,’ and they’ll kind of gravitate toward it on their own.”
It’s with his four kids in mind that the Wahlberg family recently made a huge life change, kissing Hollywood goodbye and moving to the suburbs of Las Vegas. Wahlberg told Fox News Digital that the move was mostly about giving his kids a better life and a chance to thrive. Though Vegas may seem an odd choice on that end, the Boston native is quick to defend his new hometown.
“It just has the best of both worlds,” he said. “I know a lot of people, when they think Las Vegas, they think the Strip. But just about 15, 20 minutes away, there’s a whole lot of other amazing areas that are all about family and community.”
Wahlberg shares four children ranging in ages from nineteen to thirteen with his wife Rhea Durham. He wanted to get them out of Hollywood to give them a more full life, saying the move is “really about giving the kids an opportunity to pursue their goals and dreams.” So far, he says the move has definitely proven to be the right choice for his family.
“The kids are really happy, and it’s all about them,” he said.
Wahlberg isn’t just in Vegas to be a good dad, though. He is also seeking to create movie industry jobs by making Vegas a new hub for filming. He hopes to start his own studio and attract employees with the lower cost of living and higher pay he can provide outside of Hollywood.
“There’s lots of opportunity for growth here,” he said. “And the government, especially our new governor, is really looking for opportunities to create jobs outside of gaming. So we’re looking to create 10,000 jobs on the studio alone. The average salary would be $100,000 more than what it is now. We want to train people both in front of and behind the camera, create jobs, most importantly, first and foremost, for locals…It’s just a much better lifestyle here and more affordable.”
While he’s working on getting his studio up and running, Wahlberg is also promoting his brand new Wahlburger’s restaurant on the Vegas strip. Though family and business keep him busy, Wahlberg still says that his primary goal is to leave a legacy of faith.
“I’m kind of doing all this not to continue to grow my career, but to utilize my career for good and to do God’s work,” he told TODAY. And the bonus to that is that his kids are doing better than ever. The move to Nevada, he says, is “really giving the kids a chance to thrive.”
