{"id":626738,"date":"2026-06-08T00:24:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T00:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/626738\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T00:24:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T00:24:12","slug":"the-2005-movie-mark-wahlberg-turned-down-because-a-priest-told-him-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/626738\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2005 movie Mark Wahlberg turned down because a priest told him to"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Mark<\/p>\n

Credit: Far Out \/ YouTube Still<\/p>\n

Sun 7 June 2026 19:45, UK <\/p>\n

There are many reasons why someone might turn down a movie<\/a> role, and in most cases, they\u2019re pretty justified. Perhaps you just don\u2019t connect to a character, there are scheduling conflicts at play, or maybe you\u2019re not sure if you have what it takes to do a role justice. <\/p>\n

For Mark Wahlberg, however, the excuse he had in turning down a certain 2005 Oscar winner was rather eyebrow-raising. But when you know his history, it\u2019s hardly surprising. He has never exactly been a vision of good morals, having racially attacked \u2013 both physically and verbally \u2013 several people in the 1980s.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Since then \u2013 a time which he has claimed was influenced by his use of drugs like PCP \u2013 he has attempted to become a reformed man, and with that has come the discovery of religion. Wahlberg now attends Catholic church services several times a week, and even has a chapel in his home, arguably standing as one of the most devoutly religious celebrities in Hollywood. <\/p>\n

So, when he was offered one of the leading roles in Ang Lee\u2019s spectacular tale of homosexuality, Brokeback Mountain, Wahlberg discussed the part with his priest, Rev James Flavin, first. Of course, many Catholics are supportive of homosexuality and same-sex marriage \u2013 but a lot aren\u2019t. Asked once about his opinions on the matter, Wahlberg said, \u201cI just think we have a lot more important issues to be worrying about.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

It seems like Wahlberg isn\u2019t majorly keen on the idea of spotlighting movies featuring homosexuality<\/a> as a plotline, because he quickly turned down the movie, revealing that his priest advised him not to star in the film.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI met with Ang Lee on that movie, I read 15 pages of the script and got a little creeped out,\u201d the actor said. \u201cIt was very graphic, descriptive \u2013 the spitting on the hand, getting ready to do the thing.\u201d Clearly, if Wahlberg was going to be so strongly put off by graphic sexual subject matter within a film about a gay love affair between two cowboys, he wasn\u2019t right for the part at all. <\/p>\n

An unknown source reportedly told the Enquirer that \u201ceven though Mark was offered one of the leads in Brokeback Mountain, he passed because of the gay subject matter, which clashes with Catholic doctrine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Further reading: Cutting Room Floor<\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny, though, because he played a pornographic actor in Boogie Nights<\/a>, while he has starred in movies full of crude jokes, like the Ted series. But clearly, the story of a tender and heartbreaking relationship that poignantly explores homophobia and repression was just too much for Wahlberg to stomach. Doesn\u2019t that say it all?<\/p>\n

He might have claimed to have changed<\/a> since the days of performing alongside Shabba Ranks after the reggae star expressed his opinion that gay people should be \u201ccastrated\u201d (\u201cShouts out to Shabba Ranks, speaks his mind, speaks his opinion. All y\u2019all can\u2019t deal with it\u2014step the fuck off\u201d Wahlberg declared on stage), but what\u2019s his excuse for turning down Brokeback Mountain because of blatant homophobia? It seems like he still has some bigoted opinions to work through.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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