Are Mark And Donnie Wahlberg Close?
There are plenty of famous brother duos in Hollywood, including some OG's like the Baldwin brothers and Beau Bridges and Jeff Bridges. There are also some new-school bros, like the Jonas brothers and Liam and Chris Hemsworth. But who could forget Mark Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg? They're undoubtedly two of the most well-known names in Hollywood, and like many of the other names we listed, Mark and Donnie were born to perform.
The two got their start on New Kids on the Block, and like most boy bands, it launched them into superstardom. Mark left the band just before it really took off (per Popular Timelines), but he still found his spot to shine with Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch. (We'll be honest, we haven't been able to get the song "Good Vibrations" out of our heads since then.) Both brothers also went on to act, and Mark has starred in plenty of blockbuster hits like "Boogie Nights" and "The Departed." In turn, Donnie also appeared in plenty of shows, including "Blue Bloods," which he has starred in since 2010, per IMDb.
While their careers led them down different paths for quite a bit of time, it was their family restaurant, Wahlburgers, that brought the duo back together again, with the help of their brother Paul Wahlberg. A&E also showcased that business on "Wahlburgers" from 2014-2019, per IMDb. So, one question remains... what is Mark and Donnie's relationship like now? Keep reading for all of the deets.
Mark Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg drifted apart for a while
While blood is thicker than water, that doesn't always mean brothers stay close for their entire lives. Even the Jonas Brothers once split up, for goodness' sake! Like many siblings in Hollywood (and everyday life), Mark and Donnie Wahlberg drifted apart a little bit in their lives. Donnie spoke about his relationship with Mark in 2016 on Jenny McCarthy's Sirius XM show. During an appearance with his New Kids on the Block band members, the actor shared some fond memories, noting that he and Mark were the original NKOTB members.
"Obviously we're brothers and partners in business and our relationship is fine, but it's different," he said (via People). "We've grown so far apart, just through work and career and things that are important." But he also recalled how much it meant to him to have Mark introduce the band during their reunion tour. "When Mark acknowledged that he introduced us at the first show and now it's come full circle to acknowledging us and introducing us at Fenway, I'd forgotten that he did that," Donnie continued. "That's what moved me. It's the look how far we've all come." He's right — they have come so far.
The two still run Wahlburgers together with Paul, and they still love each other like brothers. However, life is just different than it was before they had their own families. But luckily, the family business has helped their relationship.
Wahlburgers brought Mark Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg back together
As we mentioned before, Mark Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg run their restaurants with their other brother, Paul Wahlberg. And the family business helped their personal relationships. In a 2018 interview with People, Donnie shared that the pressures of running a business together got them at times. "Mark and I move at a different speed, and a lot of those conflicts are really coming out."
While there were some moments of high pressure, Donnie still couldn't help but touch on his relationship with Mark over the years. "I'm probably the closest person to Mark in his entire life and visa-versa since we were kids," he shared. "We literally spent every moment together of our childhood up until our late teen years, so to see how close we're getting in the show and to see some of the frustrations come out, it's really powerful to watch for me." If you have a sibling, you probably know that rollercoaster of emotions that Donnie is talking about.
As for Mark? In the same interview, he expressed how much running the family business has brought them together again, and we just want to give them both a hug. "Having more reasons to spend time with each other has been a huge side benefit of the business," Mark shared. So, in a nutshell, Mark and Donnie aren't as close as they were as kids, but the family business brought them back together.