Mark Wahlberg says he doesn't want to 'jam' his Catholic faith 'down anybody's throat' but he won't 'deny' it: 'It's not popular in my industry'
- Mark Walhberg, who is a longtime Catholic, discussed his faith in a recent interview.
- Wahlberg's faith sometimes finds its way into his work, including the 2022 film "Father Stu."
Mark Wahlberg will not hide the fact that he's a practicing Catholic, even if he feels it's "not popular" in Hollywood.
During a recent sitdown with Savannah Guthrie at "Today," the actor opened up about his faith, which he said has instilled in him a sense of discipline.
"Discipline has always been important to me in life," Wahlberg said. "Once I started getting into movies and transitioned from music, I realized I needed a lot of discipline in my life. And that discipline has afforded me so many other things."
Despite being a faithful Catholic, Wahlberg added that he doesn't want to "jam it down anybody's throat."
"It's not popular in my industry, but you know, I cannot deny my faith," he added. "It's important for me to share that with people. But I have friends from all walks of life and all different types of faiths and religions, so it's important to respect and honor them as well."
Wahlberg's faith has occasionally found its way into his work. In the 2022 film "Father Stu," which Wahlberg starred in and produced, the actor portrayed an amateur boxer-turned-Catholic priest. He is also a spokesperson for Hallow, a Catholic meditation, prayer, and sleep app.
The actor also discussed his eating habits during the 40-day season of Lent, which includes having one meal on Ash Wednesday and every Friday.
Wahlberg summed up his relationship with Catholicism as it being "everything" to him, but he and his family, who moved to Nevada in 2022, have also worked out an understanding about religion in the household.
"Again, I don't force it on them," he said of his four children. "Before, it was like 'OK, everybody's got to be in Catholic school. We've got to go to mass every Sunday.' But that can also create some resentment. I want them to gravitate towards it in a very natural way."