Mark Wahlberg says his mother was ‘convinced’ George Clooney was ‘hitting on her’ during set visit
Mark Wahlberg revealed that his mother Alma was “convinced” that George Clooney was “trying to hit on her” when she visited the two actors on set.
George, 63, and Mark, 53, starred together in the 2000 film The Perfect Storm, which tells the true story of a fishing boat caught in a deadly cyclone at sea.
When Alma came to visit her son during the filming of the movie, she immediately fell for George, who was already an international heartthrob.
She then proudly told Mark that George had “really liked” her and had even asked her out, but that she had turned down the offer because she felt she “couldn’t” accept it.
Mark replied, “I don’t know, Mom,” but when Alma pressed him, he joked that he wouldn’t mind having George as a “stepdad,” he said. Variety.
Mark Wahlberg says his mother was ‘convinced’ George Clooney was ‘trying to hit on her’ on the set of their 2000 film The Perfect Storm; the two actors are pictured at the film’s UK premiere
The Perfect Storm was directed by Wolfgang Peterson and starred Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, Karen Allen and William Fichtner.
The story is set around the Perfect Storm of 1991, which formed when an extratropical cyclone swallowed a hurricane in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The severe northeasterly storm swallowed a fishing boat called Andrea Gail and claimed the lives of its entire crew of six, who became the subject of the film.
“My mom came to the set and met George and got a picture and she had it on her wall. I think she liked that picture better than the picture of her own kids,” said Mark, who has eight siblings.
He imitated Alma in a Boston accent and said, “Oh, he really likes me! He loves me. He said he wanted to go out with me. I had to tell him I couldn’t [sic].
Mark expressed doubts about George’s romantic intentions, but Alma stood by her opinion about their meeting, saying, “Trust me.”
“Well, damn it, have a baby with him!” Mark joked back at her. “I want a little brother. You know, George can be my stepdad. It’s all good.”
The film was shot in 1999, the year George broke up with his girlfriend of three years, French law student Celine Balitran, who later became a reality star.
Mark and his mother Alma are pictured at the premiere of the film Les Misérables in New York in 1998, a year before The Perfect Storm was filmed.
George, 63, and Mark, 53, starred together in The Perfect Storm, which tells the true story of a fishing boat caught in a deadly cyclone at sea
Mark expressed doubts about George’s romantic intentions, but Alma doubled down on her opinion of their meeting, insisting: “Trust me,” he said in a new Variety video (pictured)
Alma died in 2021 at the age of 78 from complications of dementia, prompting a heartbroken Mark to post an Instagram photo of her and call her his “angel”
This Mother’s Day, he paid a touching tribute to both Alma and his wife Rhea, with whom he shares children Ella, 20, Michael, 18, Brendan, 15, and Grace, 14.
Rumors circulated that the relationship ended when Celine gave George an ultimatum: he had to choose between her and his beloved pig Max.
Meanwhile, Alma split from Mark’s father Donald Wahlberg in 1982, after what Mark described as “a lot of yelling and screaming.”
The Perfect Storm received mixed reviews in 2000 and was faced with unsuccessful lawsuits by the families of two of the real men who appear in the film.
However, the film turned out to be a box office hit and confirmed Mark’s movie star status, which he had achieved three years earlier with Boogie Nights.
Alma passed away in 2021 at the age of 78 due to dementia. Mark then posted a photo of her on Instagram and called her his ‘angel’.
This Mother’s Day, he paid a moving tribute to Alma and his wife Rhea, with whom he shares children Ella (20), Michael (18), Brendan (15) and Grace (14).
He posted a throwback photo of him, Rhea and their four children lovingly gathered around Alma on her 75th birthday.