Mark Wahlberg turned down role in first 'Star Trek' movie

Actor vows never to pass on a J.J. Abrams project again

By Parallel Universe on MSN Feb 26, 2013 4:59PM

WENN

Mark Wahlberg turned down a role in J.J. Abrams' first Star Trek movie because he couldn't understand the script.

Wahlberg was approached to play Captain Kirk's father George Kirk in the movie, but he was baffled by the dialogue so he passed on the part and the job went to Australian hunk Chris Hemsworth instead.

Bing: More about Mark Wahlberg | More about J.J. Abrams

Recalling the missed opportunity, Wahlberg tells Total Film magazine, "I remember (Abrams) asking me to play Captain Kirk's father in 'Star Trek', and I tried to read the script, and I just couldn't even... I didn't understand the words or the dialogue or anything. I said, 'I couldn't do this. I think you're really talented, but I couldn't do it.' Then I saw the movie, I was like, 'Holy s**t. He did a great job.'"

The blockbuster went on to become a box office hit and received rave reviews from critics, while Wahlberg has vowed never to pass on an Abrams project again. He adds, "I probably wouldn't pass up an opportunity to work with J.J. again, so if he wanted me to do something that I couldn't fully understand, I would probably give it a shot."

< Back to Parallel Universe

18Comments

Best

Feb 27, 2013 8:12AM

Coulda, shoulda, didn't..... He should have asked for advice from Tom Selleck(who turned down the Indiana Jones role in Raiders).

Previous replies

GeekMusician

Feb 27, 2013 11:46AM

I am kind of glad he passed.

Previous replies

Dirtyyoungoldman

Feb 27, 2013 8:54AM

I thought the movie was very entertaining since I'm am a fan of the show. For those of you that don't

like old plots being revamped, here comes another one! Star Trek into Darkness villain is definitely

not Khan as suspected but Gary Mitchell the guy with the Super ESP powers from the original

episode "Where no Man has Gone Before"

Previous replies

DancingSpiderman

Feb 28, 2013 4:06AM

meh... no problemo... he seems like a dumb nobody kid anyway...

Previous replies

Someone

Feb 27, 2013 9:57PM

heh just like he turned down clooney for ocean's 11 who then picked brad pitt for a come back......all for the mildly enteraning planet of the apes.......

Previous replies

CuriousDipi

Feb 27, 2013 9:06AM

I had no interest in watching the movie, but I was pleaswed when I did. It is rare when you come to a prequel done so many decades and generations later. I GREW up watching syndicated Star Trek. Followed by several of the off shoot series. The Abrams movie is a good introduction to the younger generations, though I think they could have found a better Scotty.

Previous replies

boat dude

Feb 27, 2013 8:53AM

I am a big early Star Trek fan, not the rip off after thoughts. Although I think the new movie was good in its own right, it was a cheap rip off of the original. I will go see the next one and see how much they change that one and reserve judgment to see if I ever see another one. As far as Star Wars is concerned I hope Lucas still retains a lot of script control. I would hate to see that corrupted the same way Star Trek was.

Previous replies

istherejustice

Feb 27, 2013 8:03AM

How' ya mather....

Previous replies

Jezra78

Feb 27, 2013 8:06AM

I saw it, and I have to say that, being a trekkie, the plot was just stupid. Why wouldn't Nero just go back to Romulus and say, "Hey, everybody GTFO of this place in a century cuz the sun's gonna blow." That would have saved the wife he blew Vulcan up for, as well as anyone else he cared about. Not he nor anyone in his crew thought to do this. The action was good, the special effects were excellent, but the plot in this movie makes ST IV look like a work of genius.

Previous replies

Ofreo Pigsnot

Feb 27, 2013 8:21AM

I didn't really like the movie. First they had to set up all the characters we already know, which was too campy, then as said by others, the plot was not good. Then they change the whole star trek universe so they can make more movies and not follow the same timeline fans already know. I will probably watch the new one but I don't think it will be all that good. I am not the target audience though. They want young fans.

Previous replies

Dr. Scanlon

Feb 27, 2013 8:37AM

I would have had nothing to do with JJ Abrams "$hit Trek" either. It was a rediculous attempt to reimagine something that wa already done right in the first place. Now, they"re going to let that no talent a$$ destroy "Star WArs"!