Decorated television and film actor Mark Wahlberg is recognized world over for his success in a variety of comedy and dramatic roles. Many remember his early days as ‘Marky Mark’, the outspoken frontman of chart-topping hip hop group ‘Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch’.
But the actor’s youth prior to 1991 is a far more troubled story of drug addiction, criminal conviction and regret.
Wahlberg was born 5 June 1971 in Boston, Massachusetts. He grew up around the deprived neighborhood of Dorchester, the youngest of nine children and subject to bullying from his older brothers. His parents divorced when he was young and by the age of 13 he was addicted to cocaine.
The star of ‘Shooter’ dropped out of high school a year later at 14 and struggled with drug use, theft and petty crime until his eventual arrest at 16.
Wahlberg’s first conviction came in June 1986, when the 15-year-old was arrested for pelting Black children with rocks and shouting ‘kill the n****r! kill the n****r!’
The next day, the police rap report states, he was found with friends gathering a group of white males and chasing down one of the children from the day before.
The group again started throwing rocks, and the harassment only stopped when a teacher flagged down a passing ambulance.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts would go on to recommend Wahlberg serve two years at the Deer Island House of Corrections for the abuse.
The Mark Wahlberg from 1986 police reports seems almost unrecognizable to the polished Wahlberg who presented a Screen and Actors Guild (SAG) award to the mostly Asian cast of ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ on Sunday.
But, after nearly 40 years, the actor was recognizable enough for viewers to condemn the decision to allow him to present the award.
MailOnline looks back on the troubled past of Marky Mark and his attempts at redemption since.Â
Mark Wahlberg grew up the youngest of nine in the neighborhood of Dorchester, Boston
Mark Wahlberg is pictured with his…
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