How does Entourage compare to Wahl Street? Both HBO series were inspired by the life of Mark Wahlberg, who became a music star during the early '90s before developing a movie career in Hollywood. The two series have a similar premise, yet the focal crews are entirely different.
Entourage originally aired on HBO from 2004 to 2011. The comedy series is based on Wahlberg's inner circle of friends from Boston, and how they navigated the Hollywood scene during the '90s. In Entourage, Adrian Grenier stars as a fictionalized version of Wahlberg named Vincent Chase, while the supporting players are loosely based on the subject's childhood, and industry friends. Because some of the real-life individuals had violent backgrounds, HBO tweaked the characters to make them more relatable. Nearly 10 years after Entourage's final episode, HBO Max released Wahl Street, a six-part series documenting Wahlberg's life shortly before and during the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic.
The Entourage and Wahl Street star has never been too private about his private life, hence having two shows where he's the subject. The comedic/serious actor seems to have boundless energy, evidenced by his full-on daily routine and numerous entrepreneurial endeavors. Mark Wahlberg works hard because the Bostonian didn't have the easiest life pre-fame. Much of his childhood was spent on the streets, and it wasn't until Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch came around that he could pull himself out of that lifestyle. Here's how both television shows are influenced by Mark Wahlberg's real life, along with how much of Entourage is true, and a breakdown of the actor's intense daily routine.
How Much Of Entourage Is Based On Mark Wahlberg?
Wahl Street reveals little about the real-life crew that inspired Entourage. The HBO series mostly focuses on Wahlberg's entrepreneurial endeavors, such as the clothing line Municipal, the gym studio F45, the restaurant chain Wahlburgers, and the production company Unrealistic Ideas. Wahl Street acknowledges Wahlberg's film career, but only to provide context for his experiences with family members and professional colleagues. The filmmakers also incorporate famous movie clips of the subject for comic relief, most notably to convey Wahlberg's frame of mind when reacting to statements from business partners. However, Entourage figures like Johnny Drama (based on Johnny Alves) and Turtle (Donnie Carroll) aren't highlighted in Wahl Street, though the real "E" (Eric Weinstein) does briefly appear. The first episode also features Wahlberg's friends from his former music group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, choreographer Anthony "Ace" Thomas, and DJ Rasta Phil.
Whereas Entourage primarily spotlights the challenges of navigating the movie industry in Hollywood, Wahl Street examines Wahlberg's attempts to balance his personal and professional lives as the COVID-19 pandemic becomes a real problem. The 2021 docuseries begins with the subject leaving home to shoot a new film, and then reuniting with his family while pursuing more business opportunities. Wahl Street invests much of its runtime in sequences about Municipal, F45, Wahlburgers, and Unrealistic Ideas — rather than exploring the Hollywood aspects of the subject's career. Wahlberg repeatedly emphasizes the importance of a strong work ethic in the HBO Max docuseries, and discusses his children's entrepreneurial projects. In fact, his son states that he doesn't actually enjoy watching movies – a moment that underlines how much has changed for Wahlberg over the years.
Is Mark Wahlberg’s Wild Daily Routine For Real?
Based on Mark Wahlberg's alleged daily routine, it's doubtful this is what the star was up to during his Entourage days. The actor begins his mornings at a staggering 2:30 am. As a devout Catholic, he says that he prays for 45 minutes every morning before breakfast, and then hits the gym around 5 am. He also golfs every morning before seeing his kids off to school, with numerous mini-meals in between. Wahlberg then cools off in his cryo-chamber, before answering emails and working on his social media presence. He gets in a few more mini-meals before his second 4 pm workout, then dinner with his family. He hits the hay around 7:30 pm every night, then does it all again the next day. Totally attainable, right?
Most celebrities have grueling schedules with a team of people to help them maintain their impossible physiques. But, it seems like Mark Wahlberg is interested in doing it all himself. Considering the energy the star has to run several businesses, while still maintaining an active acting career, it's not entirely implausible that his daily routine is a lie. Perhaps he was just born with more stamina than everyone else.
In Wahl Street, Stephen Levinson (Municipal) and Archie Gips (Unrealistic Ideas) emerge as Wahlberg's modern-day "entourage." Both men are trusted business partners, and the HBO Max show documents how they collectively hustle to ensure that all projects are consistently moving forward. Wahl Street does have the same vibe as Entourage - how to build and sustain a career as a celebrity - only the personal and professional context for Wahlberg's life is significantly different in the 2021 HBO docuseries.