Mark Wahlberg has established himself as one of the best actors in Hollywood, as he has a plethora of films that are box office blockbusters. His career is filled with remarkable roles in different genres of films, from Oscar-nomination-worthy performances to action and comedy films, he can do it all. The versatility of the actor has made him one of the most in-demand actors in the movie industry.
The Lone Survivor actor is immensely dedicated to his roles as he would not only authentically play each role but also undergo physical changes to embody himself in that role. However, when Mark Wahlberg underwent massive physical change by dropping 60 lbs when he joined Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise, freaking out the filmmaker.
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Mark Wahlberg Freaks Out Michael Bay After Joining His Transformers Franchise
When it comes to undergoing physical change, Mark Wahlberg is no stranger to it, as he is used to changing his weight for the roles he chooses to play. But for, The Gambler he went on to extreme lengths to cut more weight than he ever had in his career. He lost 60 lbs for his role in the 2014 crime drama film.
When Wahlberg became the face of Bay’s Transformers franchise after Shia LaBeouf decided to part ways with the franchise. While he is known for his muscular physique, however, in Transformers: Age of Extinction he looked quite unrecognizable as he was following a liquid diet. During an interview at the AFI Fest Premiere via CP24, the actor stated that after he wrapped the filming of The Gamber, he went to attend the Bumblebee producer’s housewarming party, where he freaked him out with his tremendous weight loss journey.
“He goes, ‘You look like crap! What are you going to do? We’ve got to shoot in five weeks.’ I probably put on 40 pounds back. But it still wasn’t enough for him. He said, ‘Aw, I’ve got to shoot you like this to make you look cool again.’”
The Instant Family actor added that Michael Bay was a perfectionist and he was freaked out more than his wife, as his lead actor was not in his best physique.
“He’s a perfectionist. He was more upset than my wife (Rhea Durham). I mean, my wife was a little freaked out that I was losing this much weight, but he was really freaked out.”
In the end, both films worked out, and Mark Wahlberg was praised for his portrayal of Jim Benett in the film. Not only did he bring the character to life by bringing authenticity and a complex personality but also showcased the addiction to gambling in a raw and unfiltered manner, making it one of his best films.
Mark Wahlberg Shares His Experience On Working With Michael Bay
During an exclusive interview with ScreenRant, Wahlberg was asked about how it felt like working in a VFX-heavy movie, and if it was like a “a well-oiled machine.” The actor answered positively, and how working with Michael Bay is like a smooth and uninterrupted process, and everyone trusted his word.
“Extremely, it is. Although Michael has the whole movie in his head so sometimes he’ll be doing things that will seem to not make sense, but then you see the movie and you’ll understand why. We’ll be in the middle of a scene and all of a sudden he’ll be like, ‘This is not working.’ And you don’t know if he’s talking about necessarily the dialogue, your performance, or whatever. But it may be just the clouds in the background of, you know, the frame as a whole. So we’ll jump from thing to thing, and you just have to be prepared for anything at any time.”
While Wahlberg had a great time working alongside Michael Bay, he will not be returning to the franchise, as he has clearly stated that he is done with the franchise.
Transformers: Age of Extinction can be streamed on Paramount+.
