Have YOU got a story? Email [email protected]
Mark Wahlberg turned down the chance to star in the iconic LGBTQ+ film Brokeback Mountain, citing discomfort with the “graphic” and “descriptive” nature of the script, which depicted the romance between two male cowboys.
In a 2007 interview, Wahlberg, a devout Catholic, admitted that the film’s first sex scene between the characters Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist made him feel “creeped out” and convinced him that the role “wasn’t his deal.”
The 2005 film, directed by Ang Lee, ultimately starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in the leading roles and went on to receive widespread critical acclaim, winning three Oscars, including Best Director for Lee.
Wahlberg is not the only A-lister to have passed on the project. Director Gus Van Sant revealed that Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were also approached but declined the offer.
Despite its success, Brokeback Mountain infamously lost the Best Picture Oscar to Crash, a decision that has since been regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the award show’s history.
Mark Wahlberg passed up the opportunity to star in one of the most iconic movies of all time due to feeling ‘uncomfortable’ with its same-sex storyline. Pictured: Wahlberg in 2023
Wahlberg, now 53, is known for his roles in films like The Departed and The Transformers franchise. However, he could have added Brokeback Mountain to his resume, which would have been a significant departure from his usual choices.
In the 2007 interview, Wahlberg elaborated on his decision, saying, “I met with Ang Lee for that movie, I read 15 pages of the script, and I got a little creeped out. The spitting on the hand, getting ready to do the thing.”
He acknowledged that the scene was “done in taste” but maintained that the film “wasn’t his deal.”
Wahlberg’s decision was reportedly influenced by his Catholic faith, as The National Enquirer claimed that his priest advised him to pass on the project.
Wahlberg, now 53, could have starred in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, which won three Oscars. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal portrayed the iconic cowboys-turned-lovers Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist.
In a 2007 interview, Wahlberg confessed that the film’s first sex scene between the cowboys left him feeling uncomfortable and convinced that the role ‘wasn’t his deal.’
Wahlberg is known for his strong Catholic faith, and it is reported that his priest advised him to decline the project.
Director Gus Van Sant revealed that both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were approached to star in the film but ultimately declined.
Ang Lee won the Best Director Oscar in 2006 for Brokeback Mountain.
Brokeback Mountain received eight Oscar nominations, including Supporting Actor and Best Actor nods for Gyllenhaal and Ledger. In addition to Best Director, it also won Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Reflecting on the film’s impact, Gyllenhaal highlighted the power of its famous line, “I wish I knew how to quit you,” and how it resonated with audiences.
“That line has moved, it has been mocked, it has been everything in between, but I remember coming out of that scene, off that ridge of the hill, and seeing a number of the crew, some of whom didn’t even know what the movie was about, crying,” Gyllenhaal recalled.
“When I first read that line, I was like, ‘What is that?’ Now I realize that anybody who has loved knows what that feels like. The interesting part of casting us at such a young age was that we didn’t completely understand what we were involved in, and that’s the beauty of the movie as well.”