Hollywood superstar Mark Wahlberg cut a very low-key figure when he touched down in Australia this week. The Boogie Nights star, 54, was spotted hopping off his private jet in Sydney on Thursday, where he is set to shoot the Netflix film The Big Fix.
Wahlberg looked a far cry from his frequently shirtless days with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. The actor had swapped out his '90s hip-hop bad boy image, often typified by baggy jeans that exposed the waistband of his Calvin Klein underwear, for a more subdued look. He was also spotted sporting a thick, dark brown goatee, possibly for his upcoming role.
Mark wore a crisp white polo shirt, buttoned to the collar, that featured a textured honeycomb pattern, and kept warm against the elements in a navy blue suede bomber jacket. He also wore a pair of light blue jeans, cinched at the waist with a belt, and a pair of AUD $2,015 blue suede Zegna sneakers, finishing his look with a plain white baseball cap.
The Other Guys star was content to haul his own luggage across the tarmac, carrying two leather bags and what looked to be a portable sound bar. Appearing pleased to be back on Australian soil, Mark was seen happily chatting and snapping selfies with fans.
The actor has developed quite a fondness for Australia, with The Big Fix being the third film he has shot Down Under. In 2024, Mark filmed the Amazon crime thriller Play Dirty in Sydney, before moving immediately on to the action-comedy Balls Up in Queensland. His latest, The Big Fix, is inspired by a true story and based on a book by Brett Forrest. It follows a former Interpol officer working inside FIFA who uncovers a global match-fixing operation. Mark will star in the film alongside Riz Ahmed and Dark Knight star Chin Han.
Appearing pleased to be back on Australian soil, Mark was seen happily chatting and snapping selfies with fans. The actor also has strong business ties to Australia, with his Wahlburgers restaurant chain boasting five locations across New South Wales and Queensland. He is also a major investor and board member of Australian gym chain F45 Training. When asked by Richard Wilkins on the Today show in April about why he keeps coming back Down Under, Mark replied: 'Paradise.' 'The amount of talent that's come out of Australia both in front of and behind the camera is astonishing,' he added.
Mark recently posed for a rare family portrait to celebrate his teenage daughter Grace's church confirmation. The actor wrapped his arm around his 16-year-old daughter in the photo, which also included wife Rhea Durham and the couple's eldest daughter Ella Rae, 22. In the snapshot, Mark was dressed in his Sunday best and wore a grey polo shirt paired with black trousers and suede boat shoes. He had his arm around his youngest daughter, who stood in the middle, and his other arm around the shoulders of the bishop.
And just days earlier, Durham shared a photo of Wahlberg holding up crosses he made with his food while celebrating Palm Sunday. Mark and his longtime partner have been married since 2009 and share four children. They are also parents to daughter Ella Rae, 22, as well as sons Michael, 20, and Brendan Joseph, 17.
