Mark Wahlberg recently opened up about the difficulties he faces when gaining weight for movie roles, describing the process as tough and uncomfortable. Speaking during a February 18 appearance on The View, the actor explained how putting on weight is a brief reprieve from his usual disciplined lifestyle, revealing that it is easier for him to lose weight than to gain it.
Struggles with Weight Gain Amid Healthy Living
Wahlberg, 54, is known for his 4 a.m. workouts and strict health routines, but this changes drastically when a role demands weight gain.
“I’m actually in the middle of making, or preparing to make, a movie right now where I have to put on weight. I’m eating everything and anything in sight,”
he told the hosts. Although he finds the indulgent eating “fun for about a week,” the toll on his body quickly becomes apparent.
He detailed the physical discomfort that follows, saying,
“my feet are swollen when I wake up, my hands are swollen.”
His experience is not new; when Wahlberg gained 30 pounds for the 2022 film Father Stu, he admitted the process was “really difficult” and acknowledged that such dramatic changes are unhealthy. Wahlberg shared, “it’s not healthy” to undergo these extremes for a role.
Commitment to Roles Despite the Health Impact
Despite the challenges, Wahlberg said his devotion to his craft keeps him committed to gaining weight when a script requires it.
“I vowed the last time I did it, about a year ago, that I wasn’t going to do it again and here I am,”
he said while promoting the prayer app Hallow.
“But it’s kind of what the part requires and so, I got to get through.”
During the conversation, co-host Joy Behar joked about using medication to speed up weight loss, saying,
“then you can take Ozempic and lose it.”
Wahlberg clarified that losing weight is not the difficult part for him, emphasizing that gaining pounds is the real struggle.
The Difficulty of Gaining Weight Compared to Losing It
Wahlberg explained that shedding excess weight comes relatively easy through fasting and exercise.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t have a hard time losing it, even with me, with fasting and exercise. But putting it on is just hard. You don’t want to eat when you already are full,”
he remarked. He also reflected on the emotional aspect of the experience, admitting,
“And I started to enjoy the things I hadn’t enjoyed in awhile when I realized they kind of make you feel bad, ultimately, at the end of the day.”
Ongoing Impact of Weight Changes on Wahlberg’s Health
Mark Wahlberg’s candid discussion highlights how demanding it can be for actors to transform their bodies for roles while maintaining long-term health. The physical strain he describes underscores the balance performers must strike between artistic commitment and personal wellbeing. His admission that the weight gain phase is both physically uncomfortable and psychologically taxing offers insight into the pressures faced behind the scenes.
