In Hollywood, preparing for any role can lead the actor to try many methods. Some actors go into method acting by immersing themselves into the character they’re portraying. Others rely on physical training or research about the character’s background, origin, etc.
However, for Mark Wahlberg, the preparation for his role in Max Payne’s live-action adaptation was something very different. Wahlberg told in an interview that he asked his assistant to play the game and tell him about the character.
Mark Wahlberg’s Unconventional Preparation Tactics for Max Payne
In an interview, Mark Wahlberg confessed that he has an “addictive personality.” This sheds some light on his unique approach to preparing for the role of Max Payne. Usually, anyone would play the game, which is also the source material for the film.
However, he decided to not play it himself as he thought he would be distracted by the game’s addictive nature. Instead, he put the task of playing the game to his assistant, who would provide him with detailed information about the character, the game’s storytelling, and its mechanics. He said:
I have an addictive personality. But I wanted to pay strict attention to the game because we wanted to satisfy the die-hard game fan.
By recognizing his tendency towards addictive behaviors, Wahlberg showed that he is very disciplined and dedicated to the craft. His proactive action helped him deliver a compelling performance.
In this way, Wahlberg managed to maintain a safe distance from the addictive nature of gaming while still gaining valuable insights into the character he was tasked with portraying on the big screen.
Lessons Learned from Wahlberg’s Approach
While some may view Wahlberg’s approach as unconventional, it helped him in his portrayal of Max Payne. Moreover, His admission about his addictive personality added another layer to his portrayal of the troubled protagonist. He knew that this was not a normal action movie.
The character is really appealing because he is driven by emotion. It isn’t just a nonsense, shoot ’em up action movie. There is some depth there.
The film may have received mixed reviews from critics and fans, who did not like Mark Wahlberg’s selection as Max Payne. But one thing was clear, Wahlberg added an element of authenticity to the character. The film earned $80 million and was not considered a massive success due to its $35 million budget and additional marketing costs.
The approach towards not playing the game himself shows that there are many methods for bringing virtual characters to life on the big screen. Each actor must find their own path to portray characters convincingly.
