Mark Wahlberg Gets His Walk of Fame Star

He started off as a ripped rapper, then became a lusted after underwear model, before finally settling into a respectable career in Hollywood that's been capped with a star on the Walk of Fame.

Mark Wahlberg, 39, was presented with his star Thursday on Hollywood Boulevard's famed sidewalk monument.

He was joined by Will Ferrell, his co-star in the forthcoming action-comedy "The Other Guys" being released next week. Farrell, as is his way, got in a couple of digs.

"I'm glad to be here," Ferrell said. "I first became a fan of Mark's when I bought his workout video. And I love all your 'Bourne' movies."

The "Bourne" films star Matt Damon, not Wahlberg.

Wahlberg first jumped into public view as the shirtless, slightly thuggish leader of the Boston-based rap crew, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. The band scored two hit singles, including "Good Vibrations," which ascended to the number one spot in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991.  

That was followed by a ubiquitous ad campaign featuring him in Calvin Klein underwear.

He then turned to acting and got attention with his breakout role as Dirk Diggler in 1997's "Boogie Nights." Wahlberg got a supporting actor Academy Award nomination in 2006 for "The Departed."

His wife and four young children were on hand for the sidewalk ceremony.

"I'm so happy my kids are sitting through this," Wahlberg said. "When I heard I was getting this star, I felt like it was a practical joke."

His other movie credits include "Four Brothers," "Three Kings," "The Perfect Storm," "The Italian Job," "Invincible," "The Basketball Diaries," "Fear," "Shooter," "Max Payne," "The Lovely Bones," "Planet of the Apes," "The Happening," "We Own the Night" and "Date Night."

Wahlberg has also added a behind-the-scenes role to his resume: He's an executive producer of the HBO series "Entourage," "In Treatment," "How to Make It In America" and "Boardwalk Empire."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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