Mark Wahlberg‘s The Family Plan 2 is finally out, and while the critics may not have been impressed, some of the audience enjoyed the action comedy to some extent. Turns out, the sequel almost ended up being a family affair.
In the film, Van Crosby plays the role of Wahlberg’s son, Kyle, who has achieved the nickname, Kylleboi, as a skilled gamer. In conversation with Boston.com, Wahlberg admitted that his real-life son is a big gamer but didn’t want to be a part of the sequel.
Initially, his son was interested in auditioning for the role, but when the young boy realized the amount of work he would have to put in it, he logged out of the conversation as quickly as possible.
Wahlberg recalled,
Well, my son’s a big gamer, and at one point he was talking about auditioning for the part. Then he realized the work involved he was like, ‘Nah, I don’t wanna do it.’
While he would have loved to bring in his actual son for the film, Wahlberg didn’t want to push him into anything, especially not if he isn’t ready for the hard work:
What I didn’t want to do was push him into something, because you know how many times I’d be dealing with him? Saying ‘Hey, we got to go’ and [he’d be like] ‘I don’t want to do it today, Dad, this is stupid.’ So I was glad when he said no.
However, if his son realizes that this is his true calling and he is serious about it, Wahlberg would be more than happy to let him into the industry. He believes his son has “serious talent,” but he has to “be real serious about it.” Wahlberg didn’t reveal which of his two sons he was talking about in the conversation.
Did Mark Wahlberg’s Son Regret His Decision Later?
Back in September, Wahlberg recalled the same anecdote during a conversation with Extra‘s Mona Kosar Abdi at the New York City premiere of Play Dirty.
He revealed that one of his sons – either Michael or Brendan – has an acting bug, but doesn’t have the drive just yet. Wahlberg explained, “My son has mentioned it a couple of times and then I actually asked him if he wanted to audition to play my son in ‘Family Plan’ and then he balked at that.”
Unfortunately for the young Wahlberg, he ended up regretting stepping away from the opportunity. The actor recalled, “Then we were doing the sequel, and he was like, ‘Dad, I should have done that’.“
As for Wahlberg, he won’t be pushing his son into Hollywood until he is absolutely sure of what he wants and doesn’t want. In his words, “If he’s giving me the same attitude about getting up for school as he’s giving me to get up to go to work, I can’t have that.” And that’s good parenting.
Mark Wahlberg’s Two Sons: A Brief Insight
Wahlberg and his wife, Rhea Durham, have four children together: Ella, Michael, Brendan, and Grace. Via PEOPLE, the actor’s “most important role” is raising his two sons and two daughters through “the strength and guidance” he receives from his faith.
The eldest son, Michael, was born on March 21, 2006, and is currently 19 years old. His name is a tribute to both his father and his grandfather. Wahlberg once stated, “My dad called me Mike since I was a kid. So, in honor of my dad, I think we’re going to name him Michael.“
Like almost any other young boy, Michael grew up with an obsession for sports. When Wahlberg set up a boxing ring in his backyard to train for The Fighter, the then-4-year-old was mesmerized by it.
His father said, “He just punches me as hard as he can. Fun for him, not fun for me because literally I was like, ‘This kid is starting to hit hard man!’“
Then there is 17-year-old Brendan, who was born on September 16, 2008. Like his older brother, Brendan is also passionate about sports and has made a half-court basketball shot when he was just ten years old.
While Brendan and Wahlberg love spending quality time on the golf course, the latter prefers to watch his sons’ games from afar. He once said, “At first I took him personally, because I wanna be there to support them, but supporting them is by making them feel comfortable in what they’re doing and them having their own identity too.”
Wahlberg’s daughters, Ella (22) and Grace (15), were born on September 2, 2003, and January 11, 2010, respectively.
What do you think about Wahlberg’s approach when it comes to his son’s career path? Let us know in the comments section below.
Stream The Family Plan 2 on Apple TV.
