Getty Images/Kevin Winter
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I may not exactly look up to Mark Wahlberg per se, given his somewhat shady past, but I do have to admire anyone that can pull themselves up from rock bottom to the heights he’s managed to achieve. I also can’t wait to see Ted this weekend, and I have to say that I think the film might just turn me into a Wahlberg-lover at last So, in anticipation of that happening, I’ve put together a little retrospective on the actor so that we can all get to know him just a little bit better before he (and that adorable/crude talking teddy bear) steals our hearts…

Mark was born as the youngest of nine children in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston in 1971. Growing up, he was frequently in trouble with the Boston Police Department, and he was addicted to cocaine by the age of 13. At age 16, he finally spent some time in prison after beating a man so severely that the man became permanently blind.
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In the midst of all of this drama, Mark somehow managed to become one of the original members of the band New Kids on the Block alongside his brother Donnie. He quit early on, however, and was replaced by Joe McIntyre. He then began recording as Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, and his first album, which was produced by his brother Donnie, made it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch then opened for New Kids on the Block on their final tour.
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When Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch’s second album failed to achieve the success of the first, Mark dropped “the Funky Bunch” and began an acting career as Mark Wahlberg. Around this time, he was also featured in what would go on to become famous underwear ads for Calvin Klein.
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Mark made his acting debut in 1993 in the TV movie The Substitute. The following year, he starred opposite Danny DeVito in the feature film Renaissance Man. But it wasn’t until 1995 that he caught the attention of critics and audiences alike with his performance alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in The Basketball Diaries.
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In 1996, Mark made an impact as the creepy boyfriend to Reese Witherspoon’s character in the film Fear.
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In 1997, Mark hit it big again (pun intended — see the film if you don’t get the joke) by playing the lead role in Boogie Nights. In the years that followed, Mark continued to work steadily on films that included The Italian job, Four Brothers, I Heart Huckabees, Invincible, and The Departed, which earned Mark an Academy Award nomination.
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From 2004 – 2011, Mark also served as the Executive Producer on the HBO show Entourage, which was loosely based on his experiences as an up-and-comer in Hollywood.
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In recent years, Mark’s taken on roles in films such as Max Payne, The Lovely Bones, and The Fighter. He’s also executive produced several TV shows in addition to Entourage, including In Treatment, How to Make it in America, and Boardwalk Empire.
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On top of everything Mark’s been able to accomplish leading up to this weekend’s release of Ted, he’s also managed to raise four kids with wife Rhea Durham. Not a shabby turnout overall for the former juvenile delinquent, right?
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Getty Images/Kevin Winter
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What’s been your favorite Mark Wahlberg moment? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!