Mark Wahlberg is a Hollywood veteran, who is known more as an action star thanks to movies like Uncharted, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Max Payne, and more. However, it looks like he might have steered his career in that direction not only to gain prestige as an action hero but also to save his marriage.

Why? Because of s*x scenes. Now, s*xual scenes in Hollywood are nothing new. They are added either to titillate audiences or add depth to an on-screen relationship.

Over the years, multiple actors have talked about feeling uncomfortable or awkward while filming such scenes. But, comedian Iiliza Shlesinger didn’t feel the same about them as Mark Wahlberg.

Mark Wahlberg’s Co-Star Praised Him For Being Compassionate During S*x Scene

Iiliza Shlesinger

Actress and comedian Iiliza Shlesinger worked with Mark Wahlberg in Peter Berg’s Spenser Confidential. In an interview alongside Wahlberg on The Late Late Show with James Corden she praised her co-star for being compassionate and kind to her during their s*x scene. She said:

“I was nervous going in, nervous during it. I don’t know if you (Mark Wahlberg) knew how nervous I was. There’s no school for how to have s*x with a huge movie star on-camera… I asked you for a hug halfway through, because I just had to connect to you and I was so terrified.”

Mark Wahlberg in Spenser Confidential

In the end, she added, “You can’t enjoy it too much because you’re still professional but it’s still what it is.”

As such, it looks like neither Shlesinger nor Wahlberg faced too much trouble filming their Spenser Confidential steamy scene beyond the usual set of nerves. But that wasn’t the case for Broken City where the Ted 2 star had to leave a s*x scene.

Mark Wahlberg Didn’t Do A Steamy Scene For His Wife’s Sake

Rhea Durham and Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg’s wife Rhea Durham reportedly doesn’t like him being in s*x scenes. As a result, the actor tries to keep his married life stress free by negotiating out of as many such scenes as possible.

He told WENN, “If it has anything to do with me kissing somebody my wife’s not gonna like it so I’ll fight to get it cut out. Those are the more important issues. I usually try to choose my battles wisely.”

He tried to do the same in the Allen Hughes-directed Broken City, but it backfired on him. Wahlberg explained, “There’s a love scene in the movie (Broken City)… that is very graphic and I’m like, ‘I really don’t want to do that.’” The director did accept his request but at a cost.

Mark Wahlberg in Broken City

The Uncharted star said:

“She (his onscreen love interest) plays an actress and she’s having this really hardcore s*x scene that she shoots in the movie and doesn’t tell me about it. And then I see it in the theater and I have a big problem with that.”

Wahlberg explained the trade-off for not doing the steamy scene was to be n*ked for six whole hours. The actor said, “I play an ex-cop who’s a private investigator investigating the mayor of New York City.

And so obviously I lose that scene but then my compromise was to be n*de in the scene by myself after she’s gone. I still had to be butt n*ked for six hours but it wasn’t with somebody else!”

Broken City grossed only $34 million on a budget between $35 to $56 million. So, Wahlberg’s contribution didn’t help much.