Mark Wahlberg is one of the most successful actors in the Hollywood industry with his wide range of skills in acting, he shines in every movie he does irrespective of the genre.

While the Shooter actor did not have the best of upbringings, he slowly started to mend his ways and climbed his way through Hollywood in the early 1990s and completely dominated the next decade. Apart from being an actor, and a musician, Wahlberg was also a successful producer.

Mark Wahlberg’s path was not an easy one and over the years he gained many things, one of them being his good friend and director David O. Russell.

But like many other friendships, there is always a wedge, and for their scenario, it was the movie Silver Linings Playbook as Russel picked Bradley Cooper for the lead role over Wahlberg who was initially cast for the movie.

Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg’s Falling Out With David O. Russell

Mark Wahlberg and David O. Russell were the best of friends and work partners as early in their careers they supported each other by working together on multiple movies.

Wahlberg was Russell’s first choice for multiple movies that he directed and in turn, he turned those movies into blockbusters and box office successes.

While after working together for quite some time, Russell was going to direct a movie, Silver Linings Playbook, and as usual Mark Wahlberg was his first preference as the lead role along with Anne Hathaway starring as the lead female. But later on, it turned out that due to certain issues Hathaway backed out from her lead role.

American actor, producer, businessman, and former rapper: Mark Wahlberg.
The lead actresses backing out of the movie is quite a big deal for the movie, and the same was for Russell as it stressed him out quite a bit, but ultimately though he found a solution to it, it was the one that would potentially destroy his years-long friendship with actor Wahlberg. David O. Russell cast Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as the leads for the movie.

This outcome tipped the Ted actor and he demanded a payment of $900,000 for the inconvenience caused to him due to Hathaway’s exit which he did not receive as Russell was a step ahead of the situation and had already cast Cooper to star alongside Anne Hathaway.

Anne Hathaway’s Real Reason for Walking Away

Anne Hathaway is undeniably one of the leading female actors in today’s generation and has multiple blockbusters and accolades to her name, and she was also the first and best choice for the movie, Silver Linings Playbook.

But unfortunately, she could not star in the movie due to undisclosed reasons, which was the fact till 2014, as in an interview, the founder of The Weinstein Company, Harvey Weinstein revealed otherwise. Though he claimed that Anne Hathaway was both his and Russell’s best choice, she had to leave due to the disagreement they had over creative direction.
“Anne wasn’t doing it, and you know, she’s marvelous and wonderful and she was my first choice. I love her”

Anne Hathaway
Silver Linings Playbook went on to be a critically acclaimed movie winning multiple awards and praise with a budget of $21 million, it collected a total of over $236 million at the box office after its release worldwide. The movie won numerous awards such as the Academy Awards, the BAFTA Awards, the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globe Award, and many other countless ones.