Mark Wahlberg has always been very open about his troubled youth, which included abusing cocaine at age 13 and landing in jail a few years later. The 50-year-old Boston native managed to turn his life around and become one of the biggest movie stars of all time, with roles in blockbusters such as Boogie Nights, Transformers and The Planet of the Apes. He even snagged an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in The Departed alongside Jack Nicholson in 2006.
Despite becoming incredibly successful in Hollywood, Mark admitted he wasn’t the person he truly wanted to be before his wife Rhea Durham came into the picture. Meeting in 2001, the pair would marry in 2009 and have been going from strength to strength ever since! Find out all about the model that melted Mark’s heart, below!
1. Rhea Was A High Fashion Model.
Born July 1, 1978, Rhea worked her way up the modeling ladder to eventually grace the covers of high-end fashion magazines like Vogue, Marie Claire, and Elle. She also showed off her catwalk prowess by stomping her stuff on the Victoria’s Secret runway in 2000 and 2001. As a guest star on the sitcom Spin City in 2001, she even had a chance to try out her acting chops!
2. Rhea Launched A Handbag Line.
Rhea used her experience in fashion to start her own handbag line called Ella Grace, named for her daughters. “It’s a big undertaking and journey,” she told Us Weekly. “I know how hard it is to stay on top of fashion trends, so I built a collection around high quality and incredible style that I would be proud to put my family name on.”
3. Rhea Loves Motherhood.
The pair welcomed three of their four children — Ella, 18, Michael, 15, and Brendan, 13 — before they decided to make it official by getting hitched in 2009 during an intimate ceremony in in Beverly Hills. One year later, the happy couple welcomed daughter Grace. Rhea opened up about how much she loves being a parent in 2007. “I know people might read this and think, ‘Ugh,’ but I love my life. It’s hectic and stressful at times. But I’m really happy,” she told Cookie magazine via People. “I love the traditions of family and home. Babies, kids, holidays — that’s what I’m good at.”
4. Rhea ‘Helped’ Mark Become The Man He Is Today.
Mark has consistently given credit to Rhea for being his rock. “I owe a lot to my wife,” he told The Sun in 2008. “She has helped me become the man that I am and created a beautiful life for me and our children. You need the right woman in your life and that feeling that you’re going to be together for a long time. That’s especially important if you’re going to have children.” He added, “We share the same values. Obviously, the physical attraction was there, but that’s not what keeps a couple together.”
5. Rhea Converted To Catholicism.
Rhea converted to Catholicism before she ended up walking down the aisle with Mark. The couple enjoy bringing their four children up in the faith as well. “If I’m home, it’s all about taking the family to church,” Mark told The Sun. “That’s the key thing and then the day is free to spend with family and just reconnect. During the week we also set aside about 15 minutes each morning for prayer time as a family. It starts the day out right and helps me in every way.”