Not many can say they’ve had the gall to turn down a hefty paycheck of $5 million and the golden opportunity of collaborating with one of Hollywood’s most esteemed and talented filmmakers like Martin Scorsese. But as it turns out, Mark Wahlberg can.

Mark Wahlberg Initially Turned Down The Departed

Martin Scorsese‘s crime thriller The Departed was a critical and commercial triumph, ranking as one of the most remarkable movies shepherded by the legendary 80-year-old filmmaker. Besides that, the $90 million venture also ended up landing one of its leading stars, Mark Wahlberg, his first-ever Academy Award nomination. But, as it turns out, he almost didn’t score that milestone because he’d originally turned down the project.

In an old interview with GQ, Wahlberg, 52, disclosed how he’d found himself in a pickle with the Oscar-winning film because though he’d declined the offer, his agent had confirmed otherwise. So, Scorsese, who was under the impression that the Ted star was onboard, called Wahlberg with conspicuous delight, only to be turned down.

The Departed (2006)
“The Departed was interesting because I wasn’t committed to making the movie and my agent told Marty that I was. So, Marty called me up, and he was so excited about making this movie together. I said, ‘I’m not doing the movie, you know.’”
When his agent discovered he’d denied working with one of the biggest icons in the history of cinema, he completely flipped out and begged Wahlberg to give it a shot. The same weekend, the latter was off to Toronto to meet Scorsese, fueled by an acrimonious conviction of not doing the movie.

The reason why Wahlberg hadn’t been too keen on playing Sergeant Sean Dignam in The Departed can be chalked up to the ever-present issue of creative differences at large.

But the Goodfellas director wasn’t one to back down either, and so, with a little persuasion here and a sprinkle of reassurance there, Scorsese convinced the Uncharted star to join the ensemble star cast. Little did Wahlberg know though, his problems were far from over.

Disputes And Squabbles Followed Throughout the Movie

Wahlberg’s biggest concern that initially made him reject the film was the seeming lack of creative liberty, which Scorsese ultimately smoothed out by guaranteeing him the freedom to improvise. Even so, the two ended up in a tug-of-war on the set on more than one occasion. “Marty and I were constantly in this struggle,” he recounted. “I had problems with Marty.”

At one point, they even ended up butting heads on the subject of Wahlberg’s hair, which the director wanted to be short in length but the former refused to cut it.
“Marty was pissed off,” the actor recalled. “He was like, ‘You’ve got to cut your f**king hair.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t give a f**k.’” 

Martin Scorsese on the set of The Departed
Wahlberg’s sordid experience wasn’t just limited to Scorsese though, he also clashed with his co-stars, the likes of which included industry titans like Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. “I was mad at everybody. It was Leo, Matt, and Jack. F**king Jack, too,” Wahlberg admitted, claiming that his anger persisted the entire time he was “in character.”

Well, at least it was a glowing addition to his resume.