With his new movie, a remake of the 1974 James Caan hit The Gambler, hitting theaters everywhere this month, Battle Royale With Cheese looks back at the life and times of Mark Wahlberg.

Think back in time to the late 90s and former Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch frontman Mark Wahlberg was about to make his move on the Hollywood scene. In a big way.

For a 26-year-old Mark Wahlberg, Boogie Nights was to be his magnum opus. Starring as a frustrated high school drop out-would be-porn star in the late 70s, Wahlberg catapulted onto the acting scene and left his days of awkward rapping with the New Kids on the Block behind.

After another breakthrough performance in 1998 blockbuster Three Kings, Wahlberg’s next most memorable performance would be in the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes as Captain Leo Davidson. While indeed it did not sweep up any Oscars, it did secure Wahlberg’s status as someone with a penchant for remakes.

Step forward, The Italian Job, which was to come two years later and amazed its critics by doing justice to the Michael Caine classic. Stepping into Michael Caine’s shoes is no easy feat, but Wahlberg achieved it seamlessly and today the film boasts a respectable 7.0 IMDB rating.

2006 was the year for one of the most highly rated, certainly in terms of Academy Awards, films to hit Hollywood: The Departed. Wahlberg played Dignam and earned himself an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.

Fast forward four years and Wahlberg was to star in one of the best inspired by a true story movies out there – The Fighter. The film told the story of Irish boxer Micky Ward, who slowly rose to the status of a professional boxer throughout the 80s. While the Oscar went to Christian Bale for his supporting role, The Fighter was certainly a masterpiece which Wahlberg should count as one of the high points of his career.

Today, the 43-year-old may be better known for starring in remakes, but throughout his 20-year acting career, Mark Wahlberg has certainly proven his versatility, not only as an actor but as a performer. The Gambler may not be ticking all the boxes for the critics just yet, but with a long list of Academy Award winning films behind him, it could not be too long before Wahlberg achieves his own Oscar.

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