Jim Wahlberg | |
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Born | James M. Wahlberg August 19, 1965 Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2012–present |
Spouse | Bernarda Wahlberg (m. 1988) |
Children | 3, including Jeff Wahlberg |
Relatives |
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Website | jimwahlberg |
James M. Wahlberg (born August 19, 1965) [1] is an American film producer and screenwriter.
Wahlberg was born in Dorchester, a neighborhood of Boston, to Donald and Alma Elaine Wahlberg. He is the fifth of nine children, with siblings Arthur, Paul, Robert, Tracey, Michelle, Debbie, Donnie, and Mark. [2] As a young person, Jim was in-and-out of juvenile detention centers and became briefly homeless when he was twelve years old. [1] Throughout his teens, Wahlberg struggled with drug and alcohol addiction every day of his life and he lived essentially on his own. [1] Wahlberg's criminal record grew to include arrests for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct which then led to two jail sentences before the age of twenty-two. [3] While in prison after being convicted of armed robbery, Wahlberg found faith in God, and began to end his addiction to alcohol (which he had regularly consumed since he was eight) and drugs (which he had regularly consumed since he was ten). [3] After exiting prison, he became an advocate for individuals suffering from addiction and hoped to help addicts escape the cycle of addiction. [3]
Wahlberg followed suit like brothers Mark and Donnie and entered the film industry through the creation of Wahl St. Productions, a film, television, and web content production company. [4] Wahl St. Productions is credited for films such as The Circle of Addiction: A Different Kind of Tears (2018), If Only (2015), and What About the Kids? (2020). [5] [ better source needed ] The films showcase the harsh realities of addiction and have featured family members of people who have died of an accidental overdose as extras and actors. [6] What About the Kids? showed the effects of addiction through the lens of a child. [7] Wahlberg's films and documentaries aim to dissolve the stigma of addiction and substance abuse.[ citation needed ]
Walhberg is also known for being a personality on the A&E show "Wahlburgers" which took a deep dive into the lives and families behind the successful restaurant chain. [4] A special episode featured Wahlberg as he successfully ran the Boston Marathon in tribute to those that lost their lives in the Boston Marathon Bombing a year prior. [8] [ better source needed ] In 2015, an exclusive Wahlburgers episode aired the Festival of Families celebration in Philadelphia, where Jim and brothers Donnie and Mark met with Pope Francis, thus furthering Wahlberg's relationship with his faith. [9] [ failed verification ]
Wahlberg is an executive producer of The Lookalike starring Justin Long. He is credited as an executive producer on Wahl Street , a docu-series that aired in 2021 on HBO Max that followed his brother Mark Wahlberg's business interests. [10] Jim was featured on the long-running Christian Broadcasting Network The 700 Club twice. [8] [11] [ better source needed ]
Wahlberg wrote his first book in August 2020, debuting his memoir The Big Hustle: A Boston Street Kid's Story of Addiction and Redemption. [12] [13] The book summarizes the struggles of his drug addiction and the redemption story of his faith. [14] [ better source needed ] The memoir debuted to praise from critics for its brutal honesty and transparent storytelling and was sold out on Amazon in the first week. [15] [ better source needed ] Jim Caviezel wrote the foreword to the book. [12]
Wahlberg married long-time girlfriend Bernarda aka Bennie in 1988. [16] The couple live in South Florida and have three children: son Daniel Wahlberg (b. 1997) and fraternal twins Jeff and Kyra (b. 1996). His son Jeff is an actor and has appeared in films such as Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019), Cherry (2021), and Future World (2018).[ citation needed ]
Wahlberg is a devout Catholic; in an interview on The Catholic Talk Show, he gave all praise and credit to Jesus Christ, and the Catholic Church for his life. [17]
Wahlberg is also the host of The Bottom Line, a podcast that highlights the stories of individuals and their struggles and eventual breakthroughs with addiction. [1] The show featured athletes and entertainers such as Darryl Strawberry, Chris Mullins, and Brandon Novak,. [16]
Wahlberg has been outspoken about the need for additional recovery and 12 step options during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, he wrote an opinion piece in USA Today about the dangers of isolation and addiction amid the pandemic. [7] [18] In an interview with Raymond Arroyo for Eternal Word Television Network, Wahlberg opens up about his history of crime, abuse, and meeting Mother Teresa while in prison; he states "It was the absolute most defining moment in my life, it's the moment that everything changed for me." [19]
Wahlberg currently serves as the executive director of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation (MWYF) which was created to improve the quality of life for inner-city kids. [16]
This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification .(November 2021) |
New Kids on the Block is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have sold more than 80 million records worldwide, and are often credited for paving the way for future boy bands such as Take That, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. They won two American Music Awards in 1990 for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group and Favorite Pop/Rock Album. In 1991, they performed the halftime show at Super Bowl XXV, a first for a popular music group.
Donald Edmond "Donnie" Wahlberg Jr. is an American singer-songwriter, actor and producer. He is a founding member of the boy band New Kids on the Block. Outside music, he has had roles in the Saw films, Zookeeper (2011), Dreamcatcher (2003), The Sixth Sense (1999), Righteous Kill (2008), and Ransom (1996), as well as the role of Carwood Lipton in the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers.
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004, and ended on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons. The series was created and largely written by Doug Ellin and chronicles the acting career of Vincent Chase, a young A-list movie star, and his childhood friends from Queens, New York City, as they attempt to further their nascent careers in Los Angeles.
Joseph Mulrey McIntyre is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He is best known as the youngest member of the boy band New Kids on the Block. He has sold over one million records worldwide as a solo artist and worked in film, television, and stage, including performing on Broadway.
Donald Joseph Qualls is an American actor. He is best known for his work in films including Road Trip (2000), The New Guy, (2002) and The Core (2003), and for appearances on television series such as Breaking Bad, Supernatural, Scrubs, Lost, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He co-starred in the FX comedy series Legit, the Syfy horror series Z Nation and the Amazon Studios show The Man in the High Castle.
The Basketball Diaries is a 1995 American biographical crime drama film. The movie deals with drug addiction and its unfavorable outcome in lives of common people. Directed by Scott Kalvert in his feature directorial debut and based on an autobiographical novel by the same name written by Jim Carroll. It tells the story of Carroll's teenage years as a promising high school basketball player and writer who develops an addiction to heroin. Distributed by New Line Cinema, The Basketball Diaries stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Carroll, along with Bruno Kirby, Lorraine Bracco, Ernie Hudson, Patrick McGaw, James Madio, Michael Imperioli, and Mark Wahlberg in supporting roles.
Robert George Wahlberg is an American actor who has appeared in films such as Southie, Mystic River and The Departed.
Southie is a 1999 American crime thriller film directed by John Shea starring Donnie Wahlberg, Rose McGowan, Anne Meara, Jimmy Cummings, Lawrence Tierney, Robert Wahlberg, Will Arnett, Shea, and Amanda Peet. The film centers around Danny Quinn, a former "street kid" from South Boston, returning home to find his family deeper into organized crime than when he left, and his struggles not to fall back into his previous life.
Archie Gips is an American filmmaker and producer raised in New Rochelle, New York, who resides in Los Angeles. He is a cofounder and partner/president of Unrealistic Ideas, a production company that specializes in nonscripted formats. His partners are Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson.
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg, formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor and former rapper. His work as a leading man spans the comedy, drama, and action genres. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, nine Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Brian Goodman is an American film director, television director, writer, and actor.
Blue Bloods is an American police procedural drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 24, 2010. Its main characters are members of the fictional Reagan family, an American, Irish Catholic family in New York City with a history of work in law enforcement. Blue Bloods stars Tom Selleck as New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan; other main cast members include Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes and Len Cariou for all 14 seasons, plus Amy Carlson, Sami Gayle as well as Marisa Ramirez and Vanessa Ray.
James Michael Cummings is an American actor, writer and producer and is the founder and CEO of Broadvision Entertainment. Cummings wrote and appeared in the movie Southie, which won the American Independent Filmmaker Award at the 24th annual Seattle International Film Festival. He is also a co-founder of Journey Forward, a non-profit organization dedicated to bettering the lives of those who have suffered a spinal cord injury.
Wahlburgers is a casual dining burger restaurant and bar chain. It is owned by chef Paul Wahlberg and his brothers, actors Donnie and Mark. As of March 2023, there are 90+ Wahlburgers locations in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The company previously had a restaurant in London. The company also operates a few food trucks in the US.
Paul Wahlberg is an American chef and reality television personality. With his brothers Mark and Donnie, he runs the burger restaurant and bar Wahlburgers and starred in the reality television show of the same name, Wahlburgers.
Donnie Loves Jenny is an American reality television series which premiered on January 7, 2015, on the A&E cable network. Announced in November 2014, the series chronicles the lives of Donnie Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy as newlyweds. The series premiered with a one-hour wedding episode.
Wahlburgers is an American reality television series that aired from January 22, 2014, to July 31, 2019, on A&E. During its 10 seasons, Wahlburgers aired 95 episodes.
Wahl Street is an American television series created by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, and Archie Gips that premiered on HBO Max on April 15, 2021. It follows the actor Mark Wahlberg's businesses and investments as well as provides a glimpse into the characters who make up Wahlberg's real-life Entourage. The series was renewed for a second season in August 2021, which premiered in October 2022.
Benjamin David Goldberg, known professionally as Token, is an American rapper, singer, and record producer from Salem, Massachusetts.
Father Stu is a 2022 biographical drama film starring Mark Wahlberg as Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-Catholic priest who lives with a progressive muscle disorder. The film is written and directed by Rosalind Ross in her directorial debut. The film was produced on a budget of $4 million.