‘By Any Means’ Star Mark Wahlberg Reveals He Still Owns His Original ‘Boogie Nights’ Prosthetic

Mark Wahlberg has built one of Hollywood’s most eclectic careers over the past three decades, moving effortlessly between comedy, crime dramas and prestige ensemble films. With his new crime thriller ‘By Any Means’ now hitting theaters alongside Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wahlberg has been making the media rounds, revisiting some of his most memorable past roles along the way.

That promotional trail recently brought him to “The Rich Eisen Show,” where the actor spent nearly 40 minutes discussing his career, his love of sports and a handful of behind-the-scenes stories from some of his biggest films. Eisen worked through a lightning round of true-or-false questions, prompting Wahlberg to confirm or deny long-circulating rumors about his past roles.

One of those questions finally got an answer fans have wondered about for years. Wahlberg confirmed he still owns the original prosthetic from ‘Boogie Nights,’ revealing that the first version made for the film was actually too long and had to be shortened before he could wear it on screen.

Wahlberg explained that the oversized first attempt was never actually used in the final film, saying it was one “that just kind of came up and hit me in the head,” on The Rich Eisen Show. He confirmed he still keeps that original, unused prosthetic at home, though he admitted he doesn’t bring it out much these days, joking that doing so now would feel like an unwelcome throwback to a different era of his life.

Wahlberg also opened up about how he ended up playing Sergeant Dignam in Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Departed,’ revealing the casting process was far from straightforward. He explained that the studio initially had other actors in mind for the role, and it took pushing from both Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio before his name entered the conversation seriously.

Even after his agent, Ari Emanuel, called excitedly about the opportunity, Wahlberg initially turned it down, since he was in the middle of shooting ‘Four Brothers’ in Toronto and preparing to start ‘Invincible’ right after. It took a trip to New York and another read of the script before Wahlberg saw the role differently, ultimately deciding the part was a chance to show off a side of himself rooted in the world he grew up around.

That decision paid off, earning Wahlberg an Academy Award nomination for his performance and cementing one of the most quoted characters of his career.

Perhaps the most colorful story Wahlberg shared involved ‘Boogie Nights’ co-star Burt Reynolds, who Wahlberg said struggled connecting with the film’s dialogue and subject matter during production. On his first day of principal photography, Reynolds reportedly attempted to play his character with an Irish accent, catching Wahlberg completely off guard mid-scene.

Wahlberg recalled bursting out laughing when Reynolds first delivered the line in character, unaware his co-star was being serious, a reaction that visibly upset Reynolds and led to the only scene the production ended up reshooting. Wahlberg noted that Reynolds initially disliked the finished film and reportedly fired members of his team over frustrations tied to the project, only to soften his stance once the film earned him an Academy Award nomination.

The two later shared a warmer moment at the New York Film Festival, where Wahlberg said Reynolds greeted him affectionately despite still not fully understanding the film’s acclaim. Wahlberg described genuine admiration for Reynolds, noting he grew up idolizing that generation of leading men.

Wahlberg rounded out the conversation with a lighthearted memory of playing golf with Jack Nicholson, recalling how the legendary actor casually teed off even with strangers still standing on the same tee box, unbothered by their confusion once they realized who he was.

Between the prosthetic reveal, the Dignam casting saga and decades-old set stories, Wahlberg’s conversation offered a rare, candid look back at some of the defining moments of his film career.

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