Wahlberg goes extra rounds as producer, actor for "The Fighter"

Mark Wahlberg has come a long way from his early days as a Calvin Klein underwear model and the former rapper Marky Mark. Now a respected, Oscar-nominated actor (for “The Departed”), the 39-year-old Wahlberg has lately turned to producing, as well (the HBO series “Entourage” and “In Treatment”).

Wahlberg serves in both capacities on his latest film, “The Fighter.” Years in the making, it tells the true story of Mickey Ward, who overcame a hard-knock life on the mean streets of Lowell, Mass., to become a boxing champ in the 1980s. The movie reunites him with director David O. Russell (“Three Kings,” “I Heart Huckabees”). Christian Bale plays Mickey’s ne’er-do-well brother, a former boxer-turned-crack addict. Oscar nominees Amy Adams and Melissa Leo also co-star.

Q. You seem to keep in good shape as a rule. How did you physically prepare for this role, in particular?

A. Well, boxing is a whole different thing. I’ve been in the process of trying to get this movie made for a few years now, so I was actually training for this particular movie during the last four or five films I’ve done. This project kept falling apart. I knew everything would eventually come together, so the only way to keep in shape was to continue training while I was doing other movies. I didn’t want to look like an actor who could box a little. I needed to look like a real boxer. I usually spend 30 or 45 minutes in the gym. To get ready for “The Fighter,” I was working out more like 8 or 10 hours a day.

Q. What were some of the challenges in terms of acting the character?

A. Playing somebody who's so subtle. Those flashier roles can be difficult, but it's a lot more difficult conveying emotions without saying or doing a lot.

Q. How does playing a real person differ from playing a fictional character?

A. I always felt like Mickey was a real hero. From the beginning, I knew he was going to be shown in a heroic and inspiring light, so I had an obligation to become him. We trained together. He lived at my house for a while. Having him around, that gave me the advantage of asking questions and studying him. When you're telling somebody's life story, you want them to be happy, so you have to handle everything a little more delicately.

Q. We’ve all seen boxing movies before. What do you think distinguishes “The Fighter”?

A. Besides the fact that boxing makes a great backdrop, I just felt like it was a story worthy of being told. I thought the characters were strong and powerful. I liked the relationship between these two brothers. It's really a family drama about relationships and overcoming adversities and obstacles. They're flawed people, but whether or not they always make the right decisions, they're trying to do the right thing. Underlying everything is their love for each other. They're likable, even if they do questionable things.

Q. What took so long to get this movie made?

A. In a way, it really mirrored Mickey's own journey -- fighting and kicking and screaming all the way. The story seemed appealing on the surface, but it required all of us to go really deep. A lot of people expressed an interest in it over the years. It was just a matter of their willingness to commit.

Q. What was the problem?

A. I don't really know. You'd have to ask them. (Reportedly, Darren Aronofsky was planning to direct it, before opting to make "The Wrestler" instead. Among the other actors originally approached about playing the brother were Matt Damon and Brad Pitt.)

Q. You’ve managed to live down your humble show-biz beginnings as a rap singer and underwear model. Are you tired of people reminding you about it?

A. It's all good. It's definitely been a long and interesting journey.

Q. At what point did you realize you really wanted to be an actor?