Some will always remember him as Marky Mark. Others think of him as the award-winning actor from Boogie Nights, The Departed and The Fighter. And a few lucky Las Vegans recently got to know him as their neighborhood bartender.
For Cinco de Mayo, Mark Wahlberg hopped behind the bar at On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina in the northwest Valley, where he served up the restaurant’s signature Marky Margs, made with his liquor brand, Flecha Azul Tequila.
Mark Wahlberg at On the Border
Elated locals bumped fists and shot glasses with the star, who relocated from Hollywood to Summerlin last fall. And between bar duties, Wahlberg weighed in on his spirit. “I prefer it neat, clean. I love sipping it,” he said. “Only problem is, it’s so smooth, especially compared to other tequila, you have to really be mindful about how much intake you have.”
Wahlberg’s connection to Southern Nevada runs far deeper than booze. His family’s burger chain, Wahlburgers, opened a second Strip location at Mandalay Bay in March. And his F45 training facilities—which offer what the actor calls “the greatest workout on the planet”— also have expanded across the Valley, with locations in Summerlin, Henderson and Downtown’s Arts District.
The Weekly caught up with Wahlberg between shots at On the Border to talk Vegas living, Hollywood 2.0 and the Oakland A’s.
How are you and the family settling in here? We’ve been here now about eight, nine months, and it’s amazing how quickly we were welcomed with open arms. It’s such an amazing community. When people think about Las Vegas, they tend to think about the Strip, but there’s such a sense of community and families and faith. It’s wonderful. We’re excited about all the opportunities. Obviously, Vegas has so much to offer, but we don’t want to come expecting anything. We want to be able to create opportunities as well. We’re hoping to bring a film studio, a shoe factory and lots of things to create lots of jobs.
Have you had a chance to immerse yourself in any shows or sporting events since you’ve been here? I’ve been to quite a few shows. I’ve been to quite a few restaurants, but also visiting local restaurants, whether it’s up in Summerlin or different parts of the community. We’ve met lots of locals, and everybody seems to be from somewhere else and they’ve come to call Vegas home. Hopefully, I’m encouraging lots of other people to make the move as well.
I haven’t been to a Knights game yet, but I’ve been to a Raiders game. They beat my Patriots. I wasn’t that upset; we’re still in the rebuilding phase. Josh McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the Patriots for quite some time. There’s lots of pieces and feelings of home here.
Was there anything in particular that surprised you about Las Vegas when you first moved? The weather. It’s four real, full different seasons. We’ve had heat, we’ve had snow, we’ve had a little bit of everything. It’s just such a chill, cool place. I feel much more relaxed here. I don’t feel the need to be involved in all the hustle and bustle. I can relax and unwind and just be myself, which is nice.
Being from Boston, you’re a die-hard Red Sox and baseball fan. How do you feel about us potentially getting the Oakland A’s? I think it’s fantastic. I’m surprised that it’s taken this long. You see how well the Raiders are doing. You see how well the Knights are doing. And if you’ve got to make a splash, you have to be in Las Vegas. You’re gonna have Formula One, you’re gonna have the Super Bowl. You’re certainly gonna have a basketball team as well soon. This is the place to be.
What’s the impetus behind Hollywood 2.0 and what’s your vision for it here? In the movie business, they don’t make films in LA anymore. They’re making them everywhere else. The last films I made were in Australia and Croatia. I want to be able to make films here. I think there’s so much to offer. There’s so much exterior landscape. I would love to be able to make films in my backyard. There’s a great pool of creative and talented people here, and it’s just very relaxing. I know people are excited about the idea of creating business outside of gaming. Hopefully I can continue to push that forward. It’s my goal. I feel very fortunate to be here … and I want to be able to continue to bring lots to the table myself.
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