Hugh Jackman stars in director Baz Luhrmann’s sweeping epic along with Nicole Kidman. Kidman plays an aristocratic English woman: Jackman is a tough cattle drover. Two people from opposite ends of the globe - they couldn’t be more different - yet they find their lives inextricably intertwined as they embark on a remarkable journey across hundreds of miles of the country’s most brutal terrain.
Hugh Jackman is swept away by “Australia” as he talks more about the film where he finds himself in an unforgettable, rousing and deeply moving story.
Q: Is your character simply known as The Drover?
A: “My character is called The Drover. He is essentially an outsider; in his back story he was married to an Aboriginal woman who died. It was illegal to marry an Aboriginal woman back then, so you were not accepted in white society, however you were not fully accepted into Aboriginal society either because you are were white. So he was truly an outsider. He became known as the best drover around. He does actually have a name but you are going to have to watch the movie to find out what that is.”
Q: Can you talk about The Drover’s relationship with Nicole Kidman?
A: Baz has been very open about it, making comparisons to “The African Queen,” as “Out of Africa” and “Gone with the Wind.” If you put those epic films in a melting pot, I think you’ll understand the relationship pretty well. Nicole and I have known each other for almost 15 years. She was best friends with my wife and we know each other well, so it was really terrific to work together.”
Q: Was it daunting physically?
A: “It was challenging. My character is called The Drover. A drover is the Australian version of a cowboy and my journey involves taking cattle a long way across one of the most inhospitable parts of the planet for a long period of time. Drovers, these men who do this for a living, are as tough as you can get.”
Q: What impresses you most about Nicole?
A: ”Without a doubt, the first thing that springs to mind about Nicole is her professionalism and I actually don’t use that word lightly. I have been trained in the theater where to be described as professional is probably the highest praise. Nicole works herself to the bone every single day to get everything out of every scene with every character, no matter what. There is not a harder worker than Nicole. She’s very enthusiastic and demanding of herself. I learned a lot about her, her technique. She is phenomenal.”
Q: Obviously this film means so much on a personal level, what are your own Australian roots?
A: “Both my parents are English and came out to Australia in 1967 and I was born the following year. My parents and immigrants like them were known as what was called ‘ten pound poms’ because back then the Australian Government were trying to get educated English people and Canadians (to be honest, educated white people) to come and live in Australia. So they offered them citizenship and a whole load of incentives. For the very small, meager sum of ten pounds you could sail your entire family out to Australia, so that’s what my father chose to do.”
Q: What was it like getting your star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame recently?
A: “I will be honest, I was touched by it. I am an Australian so that whole idea of the Hollywood star is a dream. We have all seen it a million times and of course I have been there and seen the hands. I remember going to see all the names of the great movie stars years ago. And my first reaction when they told me it was happening to me was shock. I thought ‘don’t they know I am just a kid from the Northern suburbs of Sydney? Why are they giving one to me?’ It was a time to go ‘wow’ and remind myself that this was a moment to remember. My dad does not usually say much, but he hugged me and I think he was really proud. It meant a lot to me, yes.”
Hugh Jackman was born in Sydney and studied journalism before taking up acting. He attended drama school and worked on a variety of Australian films and TV shows early on in his career, as well as stage productions. He played the lead role in “Oklahoma” in London’s West End and became a worldwide star with his role as Wolverine in “X-MEN.” He reprised his role in “X2: X-Men United” and “X-MEN: The Last Stand.” Jackman stars in the upcoming film, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”
Jackman won a Tony Award in 2004 for his Broadway performance in “The Boy from Oz.” His movie credits include “Van Helsing,” “Swordfish,” “Kate and Leopold,” “The Prestige” and “The Fountain.” The actor, 39, is married to Deborra-Lee Furness and they have two children.
“Australia” opens January 28 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Owen and Life's Lessons
From David Frankel, director of the worldwide smash hit “Devil Wears Prada” comes “Marley and Me” starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, an endearing roller coaster story of a growth of a family where a dog plays the catalyst.
Adapted from John Grogan’s book “Marley & Me” and its universal themes of marriage and family resonated to millions of readers, from all walks of life, propelling it to the top of the best-seller charts. “People from all over the world wrote me letters about how the book mirrored their lives,” says the author. “[Those connections were] somewhat accidental; I just stumbled on that. But many people, of course, do fall in love, get married and build families, and that’s what “Marley & Me” is about.”
In the movie, newlyweds John and Jenny Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) decide to leave behind the harsh winters of Michigan and head south to begin their new lives in West Palm Beach, Florida. They obtain jobs as journalists at competing local newspapers, buy their first home, and begin to make their way through the challenges of a new marriage, new careers and, possibly, the life-changing decision to start a family.
Unsure of his preparedness for raising children, the Grogans decided to adopt Marley, a cute, twelve pound yellow Labrador, who in no time at all, grows into a 100-pound steamroller of unbridled energy that turns the Grogan home into a disaster area. He flunks obedience school, chews off dry-wall, takes a bite out of the sofa, overturns garbage cans, steals a Thanksgiving turkey, consumes pillows and flowers, drinks toilet water, and chases the UPS guy. Even a newly-purchased, expensive necklace isn’t safe from Marley’s voracious antics.
Amidst the mayhem he generates through the years, Marley sees the Grogans through the ups and downs of family life, through job and home changes, and most of all, through the myriad challenges of a growing family. As John and Jenny come to realize, Marley – “the world’s worst dog” – somehow brings out the best in them.
While the book and film feature a dog’s name in the title, they tell much more than a story about said canine. “[Marley & Me] is not a dog story,” says Grogan. “When I wrote it, I didn’t think of it as a dog book, and I still don’t. I saw it as a growth-of-a-family story, with the dog being a catalyst. It’s a comedy with a poignant side to it.”
Director Frankel echoes the author’s sentiments, “The story is about the highs and lows of being young and in love and encountering the challenges of marriage. It also deals with the dreams that get sacrificed for the joys of children, and about the challenges of balancing career and family.”
Though “Marley and Me” is not a “dog story,” the titular pooch is certainly a major player in the tail…er…tale. Noting Grogan’s description of Marley being a “catalyst” in the Grogan family dynamic, Frankel points out that “the story tells us how important a dog’s perspective can be to us – and specifically to the Grogans. Dogs are wonderful because they don’t think about the future or the past; they know only the joy of living in the present. And humans, sadly, often forget that.”
“Marley and Me” opens February 4 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
Monday, January 12, 2009
YES, Positively Funny!
FROM the director of such hit comedies as “The Break-Up” and “Bring It On” comes Warner Bros.’ positively hilarious tale “Yes Man” starring comic superstar Jim Carrey.
In the film, Carl Allen (Carrey) is in a rut. When he’s not turning down loan applications at the bank where he works, he is turning down invitations from his friends, watching television alone on his couch. He’s effectively become a “ No Man. ” Carl’s life takes an unexpected and radical turn when he grudgingly attends a self-help seminar led by a “Yes” guru who urges his devotees to say yes more and transform their lives. The initially skeptical Carl agrees to try spontaneity by saying yes… to everything.
Unleashing the power of “Yes” begins to transform Carl’s life in amazing and unexpected ways, getting him promoted at work and opening the door to a new romance. But his willingness to embrace every opportunity might just become too much of a good thing.
Peyton Reed directed “Yes Man” from a screenplay by Nicholas Stoller and Jarrad Paul & Andrew Mogel, based on the book by Danny Wallace. The film is produced by Oscar®-winning producer Richard D. Zanuck (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) and David Heyman (the “Harry Potter” films, “I Am Legend”). Marty Ewing, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Berman serve as executive producers.
“Yes Man” also stars Zooey Deschanel (“Bridge to Terabithia”), Bradley Cooper (“Wedding Crashers”), John Michael Higgins (“Fred Claus”) and Terence Stamp (“Get Smart”).
Opening soon across the Philippines , “Yes Man” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
In the film, Carl Allen (Carrey) is in a rut. When he’s not turning down loan applications at the bank where he works, he is turning down invitations from his friends, watching television alone on his couch. He’s effectively become a “ No Man. ” Carl’s life takes an unexpected and radical turn when he grudgingly attends a self-help seminar led by a “Yes” guru who urges his devotees to say yes more and transform their lives. The initially skeptical Carl agrees to try spontaneity by saying yes… to everything.
Unleashing the power of “Yes” begins to transform Carl’s life in amazing and unexpected ways, getting him promoted at work and opening the door to a new romance. But his willingness to embrace every opportunity might just become too much of a good thing.
Peyton Reed directed “Yes Man” from a screenplay by Nicholas Stoller and Jarrad Paul & Andrew Mogel, based on the book by Danny Wallace. The film is produced by Oscar®-winning producer Richard D. Zanuck (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) and David Heyman (the “Harry Potter” films, “I Am Legend”). Marty Ewing, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Berman serve as executive producers.
“Yes Man” also stars Zooey Deschanel (“Bridge to Terabithia”), Bradley Cooper (“Wedding Crashers”), John Michael Higgins (“Fred Claus”) and Terence Stamp (“Get Smart”).
Opening soon across the Philippines , “Yes Man” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Keanu, your new IMAX experience
In a recent press announcement from 20th Century Fox’s Bruce Snyder, President of Domestic Distribution, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” will be simultaneously released in regular theaters and IMAX on December.
“The suspense, action and sheer intensity of the movie is ideally suited to IMAX’s immersive format. We’re very excited to once again expand our relationship with IMAX to offer moviegoers a chance to experience another one of our tent-pole movies in a truly unique and premium way,” enthuses Snyder.
Based on the 1951 sci-fi classic, Keanu returns to his strong suit in the sci-fi sci-fi realm as he takes on the role Klaatu in the film. Klaatu is a humanoid alien from outer space who comes to Earth accompanied by an indestructible, heavily armed robot named Gort to try and stop humans from destroying each other and the planet. Caught in the midst of it all is Princeton University professor Helen Benson (played by Jennifer Connelly) who had been recruited by the government for an event which they believe threatens the human existence.
Paying homage to the original, director Scott Derrickson (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”) stated that the trailer currently playing online and in theaters concluded with the image of the robot Gort instead of Keanu’s character Klaatu. “It was intentional,” Derrickson said. “I certainly took a lot of time to explore other possibilities. It wasn’t just a foregone conclusion in my mind that we would be sticking to the original. I tried looking at a lot of different possibilities, worked on a lot of different ideas with artists and just always a nagging sense that there was something right about the way the original, that there was something about this alien entity choosing a human form or being in a human form that had value even by modern standards, not by 1950 standards. I also am such a fan of the original film. You have to also just have some respect for Gort. Gort is Gort. There’s no question what we designed pays homage to the original,” explains Derrickson.
“One of the biggest challenges of this movie was whether or not audiences would really buy the whole idea — and there’s no question that you buy it, there’s no question that you believe Keanu’s performance. He really thinks through every moment and every beat with tremendous rigor. And he is very clear, I think, about what works for him and his physicality,” Derrickson said. “And yet it’s not like he’s doing things that are highly unusual or highly quirky. What he’s doing is something that’s not quite so upfront and center or distracting, but it still really gives you a feel of alien-ness and keeps you aware of the fact that this being you’re walking through this movie with is not a human being.”
“The Day the Earth Stood Still” opens December 10 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
“The suspense, action and sheer intensity of the movie is ideally suited to IMAX’s immersive format. We’re very excited to once again expand our relationship with IMAX to offer moviegoers a chance to experience another one of our tent-pole movies in a truly unique and premium way,” enthuses Snyder.
Based on the 1951 sci-fi classic, Keanu returns to his strong suit in the sci-fi sci-fi realm as he takes on the role Klaatu in the film. Klaatu is a humanoid alien from outer space who comes to Earth accompanied by an indestructible, heavily armed robot named Gort to try and stop humans from destroying each other and the planet. Caught in the midst of it all is Princeton University professor Helen Benson (played by Jennifer Connelly) who had been recruited by the government for an event which they believe threatens the human existence.
Paying homage to the original, director Scott Derrickson (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”) stated that the trailer currently playing online and in theaters concluded with the image of the robot Gort instead of Keanu’s character Klaatu. “It was intentional,” Derrickson said. “I certainly took a lot of time to explore other possibilities. It wasn’t just a foregone conclusion in my mind that we would be sticking to the original. I tried looking at a lot of different possibilities, worked on a lot of different ideas with artists and just always a nagging sense that there was something right about the way the original, that there was something about this alien entity choosing a human form or being in a human form that had value even by modern standards, not by 1950 standards. I also am such a fan of the original film. You have to also just have some respect for Gort. Gort is Gort. There’s no question what we designed pays homage to the original,” explains Derrickson.
“One of the biggest challenges of this movie was whether or not audiences would really buy the whole idea — and there’s no question that you buy it, there’s no question that you believe Keanu’s performance. He really thinks through every moment and every beat with tremendous rigor. And he is very clear, I think, about what works for him and his physicality,” Derrickson said. “And yet it’s not like he’s doing things that are highly unusual or highly quirky. What he’s doing is something that’s not quite so upfront and center or distracting, but it still really gives you a feel of alien-ness and keeps you aware of the fact that this being you’re walking through this movie with is not a human being.”
“The Day the Earth Stood Still” opens December 10 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
Monday, October 27, 2008
“HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3” GROSSES P31.6-M, SMASHES RECORDS IN RP
MANILA, Oct. 27 – Walt Disney Pictures’ “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” graduated Valedictorian at the Philippine box-office, claiming the No. 1 spot with a nationwide three-day (Oct. 24-26) opening weekend gross of P31.6-million in only 129 screens. This was announced today by Victor R. Cabrera, managing director of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International which distributed the film.
Families, teens, college students and yuppies propelled “HSM 3” to record-breaking heights, posting the all-time biggest opening for a live-action musical in the country, outpacing previous holder (and another Disney title) “Enchanted” by a whopping 168% at P18.8-M. The feat becomes even more incredible with the fact that “HSM 3” smashed the record with only a three-day opening, compared to “Enchanted” with five.
“Senior Year’s” opening also now ranks as the fifth highest ever for a Disney-branded live-action feature, after “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” “National Treasure: Book Secrets” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” in that order.
Fans and even critics gave thumbs up to “High School Musical 3’s” incredible new music and exciting dance numbers that were designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen (the first two “HSM” movies were originally made for the Disney Channel).
The Top 20 cinemas that registered the biggest box-office receipts are Trinoma (P2.03-M), Power Plant (P1.58-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.46-M), SM Mall of Asia (P1.39-M), SM North EDSA (P1.34-M), SM Megamall (P1.14-M), Glorietta 4 (P1.07-M), Shangri-la (P1.01-M), Greenhills (P996,328) and Greenbelt III (P967,222).
Rounding up the list are Gateway Cineplex (P775,220), Robinson’s Ermita (P739, 374), Ayala Center Cebu (P707,456), SM Cinema Cebu (P700,321), Robinson’s Galleria (P646,269), SM Southmall (P635,493), SM San Lazaro (P624,460), Festival (P601,229), Eastwood (P571,569) and SM Fairview (P549,672).
“Senior Year” brought to the big-screen the all-singing, all-dancing exploits of the clean-cut captain of the Wildcats, Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), beautiful brainiac Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) and scheming rich girl Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale). In the film, high school seniors Troy and Gabriella face the prospect of separation as they head off to different colleges. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about the future.
Still playing across the Philippines, “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.
Families, teens, college students and yuppies propelled “HSM 3” to record-breaking heights, posting the all-time biggest opening for a live-action musical in the country, outpacing previous holder (and another Disney title) “Enchanted” by a whopping 168% at P18.8-M. The feat becomes even more incredible with the fact that “HSM 3” smashed the record with only a three-day opening, compared to “Enchanted” with five.
“Senior Year’s” opening also now ranks as the fifth highest ever for a Disney-branded live-action feature, after “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” “National Treasure: Book Secrets” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” in that order.
Fans and even critics gave thumbs up to “High School Musical 3’s” incredible new music and exciting dance numbers that were designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen (the first two “HSM” movies were originally made for the Disney Channel).
The Top 20 cinemas that registered the biggest box-office receipts are Trinoma (P2.03-M), Power Plant (P1.58-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.46-M), SM Mall of Asia (P1.39-M), SM North EDSA (P1.34-M), SM Megamall (P1.14-M), Glorietta 4 (P1.07-M), Shangri-la (P1.01-M), Greenhills (P996,328) and Greenbelt III (P967,222).
Rounding up the list are Gateway Cineplex (P775,220), Robinson’s Ermita (P739, 374), Ayala Center Cebu (P707,456), SM Cinema Cebu (P700,321), Robinson’s Galleria (P646,269), SM Southmall (P635,493), SM San Lazaro (P624,460), Festival (P601,229), Eastwood (P571,569) and SM Fairview (P549,672).
“Senior Year” brought to the big-screen the all-singing, all-dancing exploits of the clean-cut captain of the Wildcats, Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), beautiful brainiac Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) and scheming rich girl Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale). In the film, high school seniors Troy and Gabriella face the prospect of separation as they head off to different colleges. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about the future.
Still playing across the Philippines, “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Royal Premiere Indeed for 007
Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the latest James Bond film “Quantum of Solace” announce that Prince William and Prince Harry have graciously agreed to attend the world premiere of the 22nd 007 adventure on Wednesday, October 29th 2008 at London’s Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square.
At the request of Prince William and Prince Harry, the event will benefit two charities, Help For Heroes and The Royal British Legion. The premiere will be attended by the film’s leading actors Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric and Gemma Arterton. Directed by Marc Forster, the movie will be released by Sony Pictures Entertainment in UK cinemas on Oct. 31, to be followed by the Philippines on Nov. 5.
Wilson and Broccoli commented, “We are thrilled Prince William and Prince Harry have agreed to attend the world premiere of our latest James Bond film, and are pleased this event will help raise much needed funds to support the servicemen of our country through The Princes' chosen charities.”
Starring Daniel Craig as the legendary secret agent, James Bond, “Quantum of Solace” is directed by Marc Foster and written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Oscar® winner Paul Haggis (“Crash”). The film picks up the storyline just one hour after the end of “Casino Royale,” marking the first direct sequel in the franchise.
Fueled by the betrayal of Vesper, the woman he loved (in “Casino Royale”), Bond's determination to track down the mastermind behind Quantum, sinister organization leads to Haiti, where he finds an unlikely ally in Camille (Kurylenko), a beautiful but feisty stranger. As Bond gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M (Dench).
“Quantum of Solace” is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures International.
At the request of Prince William and Prince Harry, the event will benefit two charities, Help For Heroes and The Royal British Legion. The premiere will be attended by the film’s leading actors Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric and Gemma Arterton. Directed by Marc Forster, the movie will be released by Sony Pictures Entertainment in UK cinemas on Oct. 31, to be followed by the Philippines on Nov. 5.
Wilson and Broccoli commented, “We are thrilled Prince William and Prince Harry have agreed to attend the world premiere of our latest James Bond film, and are pleased this event will help raise much needed funds to support the servicemen of our country through The Princes' chosen charities.”
Starring Daniel Craig as the legendary secret agent, James Bond, “Quantum of Solace” is directed by Marc Foster and written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Oscar® winner Paul Haggis (“Crash”). The film picks up the storyline just one hour after the end of “Casino Royale,” marking the first direct sequel in the franchise.
Fueled by the betrayal of Vesper, the woman he loved (in “Casino Royale”), Bond's determination to track down the mastermind behind Quantum, sinister organization leads to Haiti, where he finds an unlikely ally in Camille (Kurylenko), a beautiful but feisty stranger. As Bond gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M (Dench).
“Quantum of Solace” is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures International.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Max Marks the Spot
MARK Wahlberg is hell-bent on revenge in the bullet-fired action flick “Max Payne.” Wahlberg plays Max Payne as the tough homicide cop who becomes involved in a relentless quest for justice that is dark and dangerous following the murder of his wife and newborn baby. A man with a one-track mind, sitting in a day job (in the police force’s ‘cold case’ department) from 9 to 5, he is hunting the streets at night in his quest for revenge. He has nothing to lose and will break any rules and risk his own life as he delves deeper into a terrifying underworld. Facing betrayal and danger, Max Payne is on a tireless and challenging journey that will test his strength and every cell of his being.
Based on a video game, this neo-noir , mythological action thriller, also starring Mila Kunis and Chris O’ Donnell, is a riveting ride. Wahlberg takes us further in the movie’s twist and turns with the following q&a:
Q: What was the attraction of MAX PAYNE for you?
A: “I liked the story and character. I had just made “The Lovely Bones,” which involved a similar situation with a parent losing a child but the character in that film is completely different. It was great making MAX PAYNE because I could get out there and do what the bad side of me would do, if something like that would, God forbid, ever happen to my family. I wanted to play a character who is just completely bad ass, who is ruthless in his mission to get the kind of information he needs to solve this horrific crime.”
Q: MAX PAYNE is based on a video game. How similar is the movie to the game?
A: “I read the script before I even knew it was based on a game, and then I looked at the game and I liked it. The film does the game a lot of justice but I had never played a game like it. The games I grew up playing were like Pac-Man that had no story whatsoever, whereas MAX PAYNE has a very elaborate story. So it is definitely going to satisfy the die hard game fans and hopefully will also bring in film audiences; maybe they will become fans of the game as well.”
Q: Directors say you have an authenticity that is not common among actors. How much of that stems from your own youth and background on the streets of Boston? Is the realism of a part like MAX PAYNE fuelled by what you have gone through?
A: Definitely. It wasn’t until recently that I appreciated all the things I had to go through to get to where I am now. I have a lot of real life experience to draw from. That helps me as an actor and I think that’s why people respond to me in this kind of film.”
Q: Why are you so good at playing cops?
A: Because I’ve been arrested by them so many times and because there is a very fine line between cop and criminal. I’m not saying that is true of every cop, but some of the guys I grew up with became cops and they did worse stuff than I did. I think the cops are also the ones who have really hard lives.”
Q: How much action is there and how tough was the film for you?
A: It was harder than anything I’ve done, harder than movies like “Fear,” “The Departed” and “Shooter” – times ten. Most of the action was shot on film with very little CGI (computer generated effects). You don’t see me hanging off any wires or anything like that. So anytime you see me flying through the air, I was actually jumping off something or landing on the ground. That was me in action.”
Q: Do you sometimes have to pinch yourself as a reminder of much your life has changed?
A: “Of course. Every single day the first thing I do when I wake up is to thank God for all the beautiful blessings that have been bestowed upon me. When I pray, I ask for the will and strength and courage and confidence to do the right things in my life. I know I have been put in this position for a reason and it is important not to forget about where I came from. It is my job to help other kids who are in similar situations, who are going through what I went through. I want to try to motivate them and inspire them. Hopefully through my foundation they will be able to pursue their own dreams, just as I have done.”
Born and raised in Boston following some tough teenage years, Wahlberg discovered an intrinsic talent and passion for acting. His early films were “Renaissance Man,” “The Basketball Diaries” and “Fear.” He made his name internationally in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly praised film, “Boogie Nights.” He went on to star in “Three Kings,” “The Perfect Storm” and “The Italian Job.” Wahlberg was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Martin Scorsese’s drama, “The Departed.” His recent films include “Shooter,” “Four Brothers,” The Happening” and “We Own the Night.”
He is also the executive producer of HBO’s award winning TV show, “Entourage.” A committed philanthropist, his organization, the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, works with inner city youth.
“Max Payne” opens October 15 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
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