Yes, he claims he spoke with Ang about a part in BBM, and he made some pretty despicable comments about it.
"I met with Ang Lee on that movie, I read 15 pages of the script and got a little creeped out. It was very graphic, descriptive - the spitting on the hand, getting ready to do the thing. I told Ang Lee, ‘I like you, you’re a talented guy, if you want to talk about it more…’ Thankfully, he didn’t.”
Obviously the parts eventually went to Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal who both received Oscar nominations for the film, and the movie was almost unanimously critically claimed, but Wahlberg says he had no real desire to see the film.
He adds, “I didn’t rush to see Brokeback, it’s just not my deal… Obviously, it was done in taste - look how it was received.”
But in this more recent interview, he semi-recanted:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4wnBLo67u0[/youtube]
And still more recently (4/28/10):
http://www.irishcentral.com/story/ent/amyandrews_gossipgirl/mark-whalbergs-priest-told-him-no-brokeback-mountain-92340764.htmlThis week the National Enquirer reports that Wahlberg turned down the role on the advice of his priest:
"The 38-year-old reformed bad boy relies on his closest confidante and longtime religious mentor, the Rev. James Flavin, to help him pick and choose his parts. 'Mark is a practicing Catholic, and he never makes a final decision on a starring role until Father Flavin gives his OK,' an insider revealed to The Enquirer.
'Mark says he owes his career to Father Flavin. 'Father Flavin pushes Mark to honor his religious roots,' said the source. 'Even though Mark was offered one of the leads in Brokeback Mountain, he passed because of the gay subject matter, which clashes with Catholic doctrine.'
So now Catholic doctrine is saying its a sin to even pretend to be gay? Wow that's comprehensive. It's also really, really hypocritical.
Because, of course, playing a coke and meth-addicted hustler with a 10-inch you know what in Boogie Nights was just fine. Nothing objectionable about that. No doubt Father Flavin gave him the go-ahead. And let's not forget it was walking around in his underwear onstage at every opportunity that made him famous (as a gay pin-up, among other things).
To me, he just doesn't seem like the brightest bulb. So far, I find I can watch him in a movie and for the most part set aside my reservations about the real-life actor, the way I do with Tom Cruise and just about everyone except maybe Mel Gibson.
