Mark Wahlberg Shaves Head in New Film

Mark Wahlberg is never one to shy away from fully committing to his roles, even if it means altering his appearance. For his latest movie, Flight Risk, directed by Mel Gibson, the 53-year-old actor embraced a bold transformation, shaving his head to authentically portray his balding character.

In a recent interview with Extra, Wahlberg explained why he decided to forego a bald cap, which would have required hours of prep in the makeup chair. “I don’t want to sit there and wait two hours in the chair putting on a bald cap and then gluing pieces of hair on and then having to get touch-ups,” he shared. “Like, shave it, be done with it.”

While Wahlberg found his decision practical, his wife, Rhea Durham, initially didn’t share the same enthusiasm. “She dove under the covers, bro,” Wahlberg recalled with a laugh. “She was like, ‘Aaah, get out of here,’ but then she got used to it. She thought it was cool after a while.”

The couple, married since 2009, shares four children: Ella (21), Michael (18), Brendan (16), and Grace (15).

In June, Wahlberg gave fans a sneak peek of his transformation with an Instagram post featuring his hairstylist. Captioning the moment, he wrote, “No bald cap for me. We go all in.” His dedication even extended to daily maintenance during filming, ensuring a clean-shaven look to achieve his character’s “horseshoe” style.

One of the most amusing moments, Wahlberg shared, came when he showed his freshly shaved look to his wife for the first time. “The most priceless thing was seeing my wife’s face when I took my hat off after getting the hair cut for work that day,” he told People magazine.

Wahlberg also recounted a close call when almost revealing his new look too soon. At a UFC event, he remembered, “I was just about to pull my hat off to salute everybody out of respect, and I realized that I had it on.” He quickly stopped himself, wanting the big reveal to happen on-screen or in promotional material for the film.

Flight Risk, released on January 24, stars Wahlberg as a U.S. marshal escorting a government witness across the Alaskan wilderness. However, tensions flare as the small plane’s passengers are not who they appear to be. The action-packed thriller also features Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace.

Mark Wahlberg’s full commitment to his craft, along with his good-natured humor about the process, proves why he continues to captivate audiences both on and off the screen.


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