"Back on the Beat"

When he’s not known for making the ladies swoon, Hollywood’s real-life Vincent Chase, Mark Wahlberg, has developed a reputation for kicking some serious butt in films like The Big Hit, The Corruptor, Three Kings, The Italian Job, The Departed, The Departed, Shooter, We Own The Night, and Max Payne.

Now the 39 year-old hopes to take his action persona into the realm of comedy with the buddy cop film The Other Guys. Wahlberg, being a veteran of cop films, says getting him to do the film was a slam dunk.

“I didn’t even want to read the script,” Mark recalls, “I didn’t care. They said would you be interested in doing a movie and I said yeah. They said would you like to hear the idea first, and I said if you want to tell me… If not we could just order dinner and drink more wine. Literally I’ve always wanted to do a comedy and get an opportunity to work with these guys. So it was just a dream come true.”

“I was going to have a lot of fun making this movie,” he continues, “I certainly felt very comfortable when it came to anything cop-ish or action. But with all the other stuff, I just basically wanted to follow their lead. I basically just did whatever they told me. I learned the lines. I’d show up. And I’d say the lines and then if they wanted me to try anything else, I’d certainly be willing to try anything. I’m killing it right now.”

In the film, Wahlberg plays trigger-happy detective Terry Holtz, who is assigned to teaming up a forensic accountant, played by co-star Will Ferrell, after he accidentally shoots New York Yankee captain Derek Jeter, who plays himself in a cameo. He was asked whether he had any input in having his character shoot the legendary Yankee slugger.

“No, but I was certainly thrilled,” Mark replies, “I felt bad though because he’s such a nice guy.”

Mark shared

"Back on the Beat"

with us his most favorite scene in the film, a scene where Detective Holtz is beating up a character played by co-star Rob Riggle.

“I choked the shit out of that big motherfucker,” Wahlberg says of it, “I choked the shit out of Will, too.”

Mentioned was his co-star Will Ferrell’s favorite scene of the two of them with co-star Eva Mendes at the dinner table together first discussing their
workplace arrangement.

“I like that one, too,” Mark replies, “I could not touch my food because my stomach hurt so much. They strapped me up and pulled me around. It was fine.”

Mark was asked to share some of his favorite cop films.

“Probably The French Connection or Serpico,” Wahlberg answers, “[We Own The Night] was a good movie. I almost played the part Joaquin [Phoenix] played. I fucked up that one. That was bad.”

Wahlberg was also asked whether he would ever let his children see a film of him playing a cop.

“I never let my kids see anything that I do,” Mark replies.

“Not even Entourage,” a question is then asked in reply.

“No,” Wahlberg jokes, “Boogie Nightsa couple of times.

Wahlberg was, then, asked what it was like working with the Upright Citizens Brigade in The Other Guys.

“Are those all those fucking comedy guys that would show up every day?” Mark asks in reply, “You don’t understand. Literally every fucking scene, some guy wants to fight me. I was like, ‘How many comedians are there?’ I thought it was just Sandler and a couple other guys. Shit.”

Mark got to return to his dancing roots a little bit, most famously remembered from his teen idol days as rapper Marky Mark. But this time, it was style of ballet.

“I thought it would be easier than it was,” Wahlberg admits, “I trained with a guy for a while but when it came down to it, I just couldn’t. I did learn the steps, but in the end, it was a little to hard and

"Back on the Beat"

we had a double.”

Wahlberg says there’s one particular spot he’s looking most forward to premiering The Other Guys.

“We’re going to screen the movie in Boston on the 3rd of August, and I cannot wait,” Mark exclaims, “I just became a legend in Boston.”

It was brought to his attention, however, that his co-star Will Ferrell had remarked that he plans to send Lakers caps to the attendees.

“That’s uncalled for,” Wahlberg replies.

Finally, it wouldn’t be a Mark Wahlberg interview without asking to clarify rumors of a film version of the hit HBO series Entourage, of which he serves as executive producer, being made once the TV series comes to an end.

“We hope to do one,” Mark says, “But, we still have a season and a half on HBO. They could still mess it up before we can do the movie. We’ll see what happens.”