Mark Wahlberg has his sights set on his future, even if that future doesn’t include nearly as many acting roles.
The multi-faceted entertainer and businessman recently sat down for an interview for Cigar Aficionado’s October issue, and he reflected on his career and his ambitions for the coming years.
“Well I’m certainly working harder now than ever,” Wahlberg said of his work as a producer and entrepreneur.
“Certain businesses, you kind of build them, pass them on or you exit,” he added, hinting that he’s still waiting to see if his own kids are interested in getting into his line of work, and suggesting that the business he’s likely to exit is that of acting.
“I don’t think that I’ll be acting that much longer at the pace I am now,” Wahlberg, 52, said. “That’s for sure. Because that’s the most difficult thing.”
Instead, Wahlberg explained that he has one big goal when it comes to his next step in Hollywood. When asked what he’d like to do in the near future, Wahlberg replied, “Direct.”
The actor said he’s excited about the possibility of “working with some of the other great talents. Working with the next batch of great talent.”
Reflecting on his career as a whole, the Me Time star explained how he first got into producing, and explained it was specifically to advance his acting efforts.
“I started becoming a producer out of necessity,” Wahlberg said. “I didn’t want to sit around waiting for Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise or whoever was already established before me and were the guys at the time, and Leo [DiCaprio], to go and pass on a movie until I could get my hands on it.”
“I was always proactive in trying to find material and things that I could produce,” he added. “That I knew was right for me, [to] create my own destiny.”
ET’s Cassie DiLaura spoke with Wahlberg in April 2022, at a special Boston screening of his film Father Stu, and he opened up about why the curtain is slowly inching to a close when it comes to his career in Hollywood.
When asked when he’ll know to hang up his hat, Wahlberg hinted that it’s not far off, telling ET, “Sooner rather than later, probably.”
Wahlberg added that, when it comes to future roles, he’s going to be particularly discerning.
“It’s gotta be something special to really bring me, you know, to leave home, to leave those guys behind,” Wahlberg explains, referring to his wife, Rhea Durham, and his four children. “Because it’s the biggest sacrifice… for sure.”
Cigar Aficionado’s October issue, featuring Wahlberg’s full interview, hits newsstands Sept. 26.
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