Even with four kids, the couple makes sure to have date nights every week. They celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary in August 2020.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on January 8, 2021. It has since been updated.
Mark Wahlberg, 52, recently showed off his ripped physique on his Instagram account and made some heads turn. The Instant Family actor, who started as a model, has also entertained us with his music and then with his movies. And, while he's reaching new heights as a businessman too, with his fast-food chain Wahlburgers, he keeps his family safely away from the public eye. The actor has been married for 14 years and has four kids, but there isn't much that we get to read about them in the news.
Source: Getty Images | Photo by (L) Jonathan Leibson, (R)Frazer Harrison
Wahlberg is married to former model Rhea Durham, 44, with whom he has four kids, Brendan, Grace, Ella, and Michael. Durham has appeared on the cover of several major magazines including French Vogue, Marie Claire, British and American ELLE, according to IMDb. She walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2000 and 2001, and appeared in an episode of Spin City in 2001.
She met Wahlberg in 2001 when he was in New York for a press junket. "I asked her if she wanted to come out with me, and she said yes. Then I asked her if she wanted to come to church with me the next morning, and she said yes again. So that was our first date: St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. I knew shortly after that she was the one, but I still had to make sure that I was able to be the man I needed to be," he told People.
The Broken City actor had lost his faith in love when he met Durham at the age of 29. After being jailed at the age of 16 for race hate crimes, he was heartbroken that the girl he loved didn't wait for him, according to Sunshine Coast Daily. He had to serve 45 days of his two-year sentence for attacking two Vietnamese men, according to the Independent.
"I was a very nice guy early on. The first time I fell in love, and when I was in jail, she denied me, she didn't want to wait for me. I don't want to blame her now but my heart was broken and I decided, 'I'm never giving my heart to a girl anymore.' Everything, but not that. And I ended up hurting a lot of people along the way. It was not until I met my wife and we had our daughter that I went, 'Oh my God, this is happening for a reason.' So now I have the utmost respect for women and teach my boys that. They shall not take the path that daddy took," he told Sunshine Coast Daily.
The Ted actor grew up in a humble background in Boston. One of nine kids, he used to get into a lot of trouble with the police. However, he has fond memories of his past. "My parents didn’t have much when we were growing up, but they always did what they could to make sure that they gave us a great Christmas. They always seemed able to turn our difficult situation into a happy and joyous occasion," he told People.
And, now he has transformed from the tough guy he used to be into a soft dad. "I’m trying to be the best dad I can. I’m probably softer than I should be, but I’m pushing myself to be harder. What I do every day is pray for the strength to be a good servant, father and husband," he said.
Durham and he walked down the aisle eight years and four kids later in 2009. "We were like a married couple anyway-we just wanted to make it official. Nothing really changed," he said.
Even with four kids, the couple makes sure to have date nights every week. They celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary in August 2020. The Patriots Day actor wrote, "Thanks for being my everything" to his wife, on Instagram. Previously, he's revealed that he "owes" her a lot. "She has helped me become the man that I am and created a beautiful life for me and our children. I also knew that she loved me for who I am and that she was someone I could trust. Until I met her, I wasn’t ready to get married," he said, as per the Sun.
References:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1081113/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
https://people.com/archive/mark-wahlberg-answers-your-questions-family-guy-vol-74-no-4/
https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/mark-wahlberg-my-wife-made-me-believe-love/1863423/
