Mark Wahlberg and Leonardo DiCaprio have forged an enduring friendship. A nostalgic glimpse into their camaraderie emerged when Wahlberg shared a throwback video from the set of the 1994 film, The Basketball Diaries, where they both showcased their acting prowess in a gritty portrayal of drug addiction.
Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg
Off-camera, amidst the seriousness of their roles, they found joy in playful banter when a news crew graced their presence, illuminating the genuine bond they share since those early days. However, things weren’t always good between them.
Mark Wahlberg Wanted To Bury The Past
In the clip, the duo share a remarkable camaraderie, seemingly like best buddies. However, Mark Wahlberg candidly revealed in an interview last year that their journey had its share of bumps before they embarked on the filming adventure.
Mark Wahlberg was determined to put the past feud with Leonardo DiCaprio to rest once and for all. After opening up about the tension between the two actors before filming The Basketball Diaries in 1995, the actor was approached by Extra, where he was asked if he would be willing to collaborate with the Titanic star again. “Yeah,” Wahlberg confirmed. “We’ve talked about it.”
Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg
Wahlberg explained that it wasn’t a simple clash of opinions. Rather, both he and DiCaprio harbored specific perceptions of each other. Wahlberg, known for his bold and eccentric persona as a rapper, found himself immersed in a serious film with a weighty role.
“But no one had seen me act in a film, so I had to really kinda just go out there and prove myself. Once I finally got to the point where I was able to audition and read with him, then we just both kinda looked at each other, we were like, ‘Wow!’ We were literally out that night and we became fast friends.”
The late Scott Kalvert, who directed the movie and had prior experience working with Wahlberg on music videos, believed in his ability to excel in the part.
Mark Wahlberg And Leonardo DiCaprio Earned Each Other’s Respect
During the LEAP Foundation conference at UCLA, Mark Wahlberg candidly tackled the subject of their tumultuous history, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“He didn’t want me for the part, and I didn’t think he was right for the part,” Wahlberg said. “We both had to really learn how to respect each other, and we earned it.”
Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg in The Basketball Diaries
In a previous conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Wahlberg had openly discussed the longstanding feud. Back in 2013, he revealed that DiCaprio had reservations about Wahlberg being part of The Basketball Diaries.
“Leonardo was like, ‘Over my dead f**king body. Marky Mark’s not going to be in this f**king movie,’” Wahlberg recalled. “Because we’d had a thing — I didn’t even realize it, [but] I was a bit of a d— to him at a charity basketball game. So he was like, ‘This f**king a**hole is not going to be in this movie.’”
