Mark Wahlberg Had To Change Churches Several Times For This Reason

Mark Wahlbergrevealed that he has had to change churches several times because people always tried to pitch him their big and brilliant movie ideas while he tried to worship quietly.

He revealed during an interview that the constant disturbance forced him to run from church to church in the hope that he would be finally left alone. In a funny twist, it was a pitch from the person he least expected that inspired his recent movie, “Father Stu.” Read on to find out more.

During an interview with Insider about his new movie, “Father Stu,” Wahlberg revealed that there had been several times when people in the same church with him have pitched him movie ideas. 

He said, “I would literally move around from church to church because I would get pitched a lot. I’m not at church looking to find material. I’m trying to find some peace and quiet to be able to worship.”

As a celebrity and actor of his status, it’s no surprise that people are clamoring to be the inspiration for his next movie or befriend him, so they have an in for his next project. However, Wahlberg made it clear that he has always just wanted to be left alone in church.

However, in a funny twist, Wahlberg eventually found inspiration in one of the ideas he had been running from. A priest at his parish told him about the fascinating story of Father Stuart Long, an infamous boxer-turned-priest.

The story and Father Long would eventually become the inspiration for Wahlberg’s latest film, titled “Father Stu.” It also set him on the six-year-long journey it would take him to make the movie. Wahlberg revealed during the interview that the priest was the “least likely person I’d expect to be pitching me.” 

The “Spenser Confidential” star continued, “But he told me the story a couple of times and, finally, it registered for me. I realized, ‘Wow, I have been looking for something like this.’ It’s a fantastic role, a powerful and inspiring story. It felt different and original to get people’s attention.”

Aside from simply starring as Father Long himself, Wahlberg also produced and almost entirely self-financed the film. He also had to gain over 30 pounds to properly portray Father Long at the end of his life when his rare autoimmune disease called inclusion body myositis had wrecked his body.

Wahlberg revealed to Insider that he decided to self-finance “Father Stu” with two collaborators after the movie spent years in the development stage with no visible progress. He said he found inspiration in his decision from famed director Mel Gibson.

Wahlberg and Gibson had worked together previously, such as in the film “Daddy’s Home 2.” The two men now share another similarity as Gibson also put his own money into his iconic 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ.” Wahlberg also cast Gibson in “Father Stu” as Father Long’s father.

Wahlberg, who is a devout Catholic, also revealed that making the movie has inspired him to make more faith-based movies. He also said that he is currently building a production company that will focus only on producing and promoting faith-based movies. 

The “Uncharted” star shared some of his plans for the company and said, “We are already in the works: Film, television, across the board, but putting the emphasis on quality.”

He continued, “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.” Wahlberg’s “Father Stu” is currently playing in theaters.