LOS ANGELES—Mark Wahlberg admits he’s not Hollywood’s go-to guy for teacher roles.
In “The Gambler,” he plays the brilliant but troubled English professor Jim Bennett. The role gave Wahlberg particular anxiety.
The 43-year-old actor-producer dropped out of school after the eighth grade, and he only recently went back to get his diploma.
“As much as (director) Rupert (Wyatt) wanted me to transform physically, to me, being a believable literary professor was the most important challenge,” said Wahlberg. “These parts don’t come my way that often.”
The 43-year-old actor-producer dropped out of school after the eighth grade.