It was a shock to the mainstream media when Donald Trump won the presidency — and an even bigger shock to fawning celebrities who campaigned for Hillary Clinton in swing states in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
“Ted” star Mark Wahlberg didn’t seem to be as surprised in a recent interview. Instead, he seemed as annoyed as many working-class Americans about preachy and out-of-touch celebrities.
“A lot of Hollywood is pretty out-of-touch with the common person.”
At a publicity event for his upcoming film about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, “Patriots Day,” Wahlberg told Task & Purpose magazine of celebrities talking politics, “A lot of celebrities did, do, and shouldn’t.”
He emphasized how little the swarms of singers and actors denouncing Trump meant on Nov. 8. “It just goes to show you that people aren’t listening to that anyway … They might buy your CD or watch your movie, but you don’t put food on their table. You don’t pay their bills.”
Sounding even more like a blue-collar American than a typical Hollywood artist, he acknowledged the bubble many celebrities and elitists have been living in, which blindsided them to a President Trump.
“A lot of Hollywood is living in a bubble. They’re pretty out-of-touch with the common person, the everyday guys out there providing for their family. Me, I’m very aware of the real world. I come from the real world and I exist in the real world. And although I can navigate Hollywood and I love the business and the opportunities it’s afforded me, I also understand what it’s like not to have all that.”
In the past few years, Wahlberg has defined his A-list status by starring in movies based on real-life events that highlight working-class heroes. In 2013, there was “Lone Survivor”— which recounted the harrowing tale of survival from Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell. Then there was this year’s “Deepwater Horizon,” which displayed the brave actions of the workers who were front and center in the fight against the 2010 BP oil spill.
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Now, the actor has “Patriots Day,” a film in which he plays a cop dealing with the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing three years ago. The film hits theaters Dec. 21.
All three films were directed by Peter Berg — and Wahlberg says his and the director’s trend of highlighting real-life American heroes will continue, as the two have another planned project that will be announced before the end of the year.
Of the roles he is growing accustomed to playing, Wahlberg said, “People really dedicated their lives to serving our country and our communities, and we need to honor that. The overall purpose of police and military is to protect us. It’s an amazing thing, and every chance I get I want to thank them for their service.”
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With so many celebrities still whining about the election results and trying to group non-Hillary voters into a body of racist and sexist villains, it’s refreshing to see and hear someone in Hollywood speak plainly and with authority about a large portion of the country previously ignored by pop culture.
With Wahlberg’s words and dedication to putting a spotlight on everyday American heroes, the Trump cultural shift seems stronger every day.
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