Mark Wahlberg has revealed new shirtless photos revealing his weight gain transformation for the long-in-development faith-based drama, Stu. Written and directed by Rosalind Ross, plot details are being kept under wraps for the film but is said to center on fighter-turned-actor, Father Stuart Long. Wahlberg will star in the film alongside Oscar nominee, Jacki Weaver.
Wahlberg has been quietly developing the project for years now, finding the story close to his heart and inspiring him to take on the role. A previous attempt to get the film off the ground came in 2016 when Wahlberg announced that he and David O. Russell, with whom he previously collaborated on Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees and The Fighter, were developing the script together for the film. After the film seemingly lingered in development hell for five years, it was announced earlier this year that it was gaining steam as the Oscar nominee officially signed on to star and Rosalind Ross landed the writing and directing gigs in her feature debut.
Nearly two months after the film was first announced to be in the works, Wahlberg took to Instagram to reveal the physical transformations he is already undergoing for the film. In an interview with E! Online, personal chef, Lawrence Duran, has revealed details on how Wahlberg has gone about his 20-pound transformation, which includes eating eight meals a day with 7,000 calories and having his mornings start as early as 3 a.m. Though keeping a strict regimen during this time, Duran assured Wahlberg is allowing himself a cheat meal one day a week and is doing nothing the actor hasn't done before, especially with the weight loss he will soon have to undergo. Check out the photo and read what Duran said below:
For him, he can drop it pretty quick. Within a few weeks you'll probably see a drastic change. But he's been doing this his whole life, whereas for the average person, it may take months on end. Not everyone's body is the same and his meal plan may not work for you or I.
As Duran indicated, Wahlberg has been going through these weight changes his whole career, frequently putting on additional muscle or trimming down to sleeker builds. Some of Wahlberg's most notable transformations were seen in Michael Bay's Pain & Gain and Russell's The Fighter, though his turn in the former was certainly a more shocking appearance for co-star, Anthony Mackie, as they looked to properly portray their real-life counterparts and stack up to fellow co-star, Dwayne Johnson. That being said, this does seem like the first major weight transformation he's undergone since his role in The Gambler remake, for which he lost over 60 pounds.
Dramatic changes in weight have long been a concern of fans when it comes to their favorite performers, and some stars have been vocal about the dangers that could come from it, namely Tom Hardy and Christian Bale. For those who worry Wahlberg may be moving a little too fast for his work on Stu, it does appear he's at least remaining vigilant about sticking with a healthy path forward. Fans should also gear up for the first looks at Wahlberg's appearance in the sci-fi action thriller, Infinite, given its recent shit to a Paramount+ debut this June.
Source: Mark Wahlberg/E! News