Featured Image Credit: Sony
Topics: Mark Wahlberg, Film and TV, Celebrity
Shola Lee
Mark Wahlberg revealed his new film Father Stu nearly wasn't made after it received resistance from Hollywood and the Catholic Church.
Father Stu is based on the real-life story of Father Stuart Long, a boxer who became a priest after an injury ended his career.
Despite the film's interesting premise, Wahlberg, who is Catholic himself, said the film nearly wasn't made.
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The Ted actor said he spent several years pitching the religious drama, noting in an interview, 'These movies are not easy to get made.'
He then continued to say the film was 'probably the most unpredictable movie ever', as per Fox News.
Wahlberg went on to explained how the journey to make the film wasn't an easy one, noting: 'I was met with resistance not only from studios to make this movie, but also from the Church, which I was really surprised about.
'But then I realized, they opened to Page 1, and Bill's using the F word, and in Page 2, he used it again. Then next thing you know, 'this is vulgar and this is unacceptable' without really understanding what the message was.'
It was 'important' for Wahlberg to continue with the film, however, and he decided to go ahead, he even invested his own money into the project, as per the Christian Post.
Wahlberg spent six years and combed through failed scripts before the film was made with writer and director Rosalind Ross.
The project then has a quick 30-day filming period during the 2021 pandemic.
For Wahlberg the film is about 'love, hope and redemption' and the idea that nobody is 'beyond redemption'.
Still, this didn't stop Wahlberg being anxious about sending the completed film out, particularly to the archbishop and other priests.
'They watched the movie, sat there in silence, in tears, took about 10 minutes to kind of recover, compose themselves. They talked about it, and he wrote the most glowing review for the movie,' he said.
The review, Wahlberg thought, was fair but it did note the film has 'harsh language' and 'violence', per Christian Today.
Along with the response of seniors in the Catholic Church, Wahlberg wanted to make sure that he got the depiction of Father Stu right.
He noted that he wanted to 'honour' the man, which he seems to have achieved as the Diocese of Helena in Montana, where Father Stu worked, stated that they appreciated the 'the thoughtful and diligent work' of the production team.
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