Celebrity Mound

The 39-year-old star – who was an original member of New Kids on the Block before quitting because he didn’t like their musical style and going on to find fame as rapper Marky Mark – admits he realises now he wasn’t as cool as he once thought.

Asked how he feels about his singing career, he said: “Ah man, embarrassed. I thought I was so cool back then, but when I see the footage, I was such an a*s.”

However, his family won’t let him forget his solo career and a nickname from the era still plagues him.

He told FHM magazine: “I remember seeing this thing on VH1, some Sexy People Of The 90s show. My brother Paul was watching with me and my assistant they were just killing themselves with laughter.

“To top if off I was number one! So for ages afters whenever they’d call, they’d be, ‘Can we speak to the Sexiest Man Of The 90s please? They keep killing me.”

“I thought it would be funny,” he told Time’s Belinda Luscombe during the magazine’s Live 10 Questions panel on Monday. When Luscombe asked if his penis was grateful, the actor fired back, “That is the one question I won’t answer.” But asked if any musician could convince former rapper Wahlberg to “lay down a rap track with them,” he responded, “If Justin Bieber asks me, I’ll say yes. Only because my daughter loves him.”

Mark Wahlberg and wife Rhea Durham with their children Ella, Michael, Brendan, and Grace

When Mark Wahlberg first leaped to fame in the Nineties, he quickly gained a legion of female fans thanks to his toned six-pack.

But spotted filming his latest film The Fighter in Los Angeles yesterday, the 38-year-old was a far cry from his former toned self as he displayed a rounded paunch.

Wahlberg is playing American welterweight boxer ‘Irish’ Micky Ward in his new film, who spent several years away from the ring before being convinced to return by his half-brother Dickie Ecklund.

Given the actor’s out-of-shape appearance yesterday, it is clear he is filming scenes from Ward’s three-year hiatus from boxing.

When Wahlberg started filming last year, he was looking buff after training for 18 months for the role.

But after taking a few months off working out, Wahlberg’s toned stomach has turned podgy in preparation for scenes featuring Ward’s brief retirement.

The Fighter, which is due for release this summer, has been a long-time coming for Wahlberg, who first signed on to star in the movie in 2007.

He started training immediately, but was concerned after Darren Aronofsky withdrew from directing the role, before David O Russell signed on last April.

Brad Pitt was due to play Ecklund, but dropped out and was replaced by Christian Bale.

Ever the method actor, Bale was spotted looking emaciated on set of the film last summer to play Ecklund, who struggled with an addiction to crack cocaine and spent time in prison for various charges, including drug possession.

In an interview in October 2008, Wahlberg admitted he was concerned the film may not happen after months spent training for the role: ‘I get up everyday at 5am to train for a movie that might not even happen. It’s depressing.

Wahlberg said: ‘My son is obsessed with boxing. He puts on the gloves, tells me to get on my hands and knees and to put my hands behind my back and he just punches me as hard as he can.

‘Fun for him, not fun for me because literally I was like, “This kid is staring to hit hard man!’ I had a bit of a headache.”‘

Ward, who hails from Wahlberg’s native Massachusetts, won three New England Golden Glove title before turning professional in 1985.

After several defeats, Ward retired from boxing for three years before he returned to the sport after being convinced by Ecklund.

Ward’s return to boxing in 1994 saw him win nine straight fights.

One of his biggest fights was against the late Arturo Gatti in 2002, which was hailed as the ‘fight of the century’ by boxing fans and writers.

However, after going on to lose another fight against Gatti in 2003, Ward announced his retirement from boxing.

Both Ward and Ecklund are consultants on the movie and have been working closely with the actors who play them.

Nothing can stop Mark Wahlberg.

The actor, 39, was rushed to the hospital Friday morning after suffering smoke inhalation on the set of his new movie, “The Fighter,” RadarOnline.com reported.

“Mark was working on a scene [Thursday night] where a smoke machine was being used for atmosphere and apparently he breathed in too much smoke,” a source said. “When he woke up Friday morning he was gasping for breath so he was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was put on a breathing device that helped clear his lungs.”

The actor, who plays boxer “Irish” Micky Ward alongside co-stars Christian Bale and Amy Adams in the film, was released and returned back to work later that day.

Wahlberg recently tied the knot with his longtime love, model Rhea Durham, in Beverly Hills on August 1.

(source)