Mark Wahlberg has certainly evolved since his early days with The Funky Bunch. Now a devout Christian, he stands out in Hollywood as one of the few high-profile celebrities openly speaking about his faith.
So, it wasn’t exactly shocking when news broke that he turned down a major role opposite Tom Hanks in Rob Reiner’s upcoming film Insurrection. According to his spokesperson, Joe Barron, Wahlberg didn’t hesitate.
“The moment he heard those names mentioned together,” Barron said, “he dropped to his knees in prayer. When he rose, still teary-eyed from what he called a message from the Lord, he made it clear: he would not work with Tom Hanks.”
Wahlberg himself added, “I prayed for his soul. Whether it helps or not, I don’t know. But only through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—and maybe a lot of Dunkin’—can we restore this nation’s Christian foundation.”
Reportedly, as he spoke those words, a faint halo briefly appeared above him, and a dog in a nearby window tilted its head in a way that felt… spiritual.
All in all, it was quite the moment—part solemn, part surreal, and maybe a little tongue-in-cheek, considering how the meme blew up online. The writer even joked about skipping the Tom Selleck/Whoopi Goldberg bit on the next page.