Legendary American actor Mark Wahlberg sported ashes on his forehead Wednesday in an interview with Savannah Guthrie on “Today.”
During the interview, Wahlberg discussed fasting during lent, being a Christian in Hollywood – where religion is not only absent but even disavowed – and how his faith has transformed his own journey as an actor and a father.
“Your faith means so much to you … Have you always talked about it, or did you figure at some point, ‘Ok, I have a platform here, and I just wanna share this part of my journey’?” Guthrie asked.
“I don’t want to jam it down anybody’s throat, but I do not deny my faith,” Wahlberg told Guthrie, before stressing the importance of sharing his faith with others.
“That’s an even bigger sin. You know, it’s not popular in my industry, but I cannot deny my faith. It’s important for me to share that with people.”
Mark Wahlberg is joining us to talk about the Catholic prayer app ‘Hallow,’ discusses fasting, opens up about why it’s important for him to not deny his faith, shares why he doesn’t force Catholicism onto his children, and more. pic.twitter.com/TrUy1g9eMT
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 22, 2023
When asked what his faith means to him, Wahlberg responded with a resounding “everything.”
“Oh, it’s everything,” Wahlberg said, explaining the overarching role of his faith in his life’s journey. “It’s afforded me so many things. Obviously, you know, God didn’t come to save the saints. He came to save the sinners.”
“The Departed” actor also discussed his family, and his approach to teaching his kids about his faith, which deviates from the ‘old-fashioned’ Catholic upbringing he himself experienced.
“I don’t force it on them either,” Wahlberg said, before explaining that he wants his children to find their own path in their faith.
“Before, it was like, ‘Alright, everybody’s gotta be in catholic school, we gotta go to mass every Sunday,’ but that can also create some resentment. I want them to gravitate towards it in a very natural way,” he continued.
Wahlberg has recently served as a narrator and spokesperson for Hallow, a prayer and sleep app for Catholics, according to the Daily Caller.
Wahlberg’s latest movie, “Me Time,” launched on Netflix in August of 2022.
