Donnie Wahlberg Wouldn't Be on Blue Bloods if Not for This Surprising A-Lister
Here's how a small but notable role and words of support helped Donnie become the actor he is now.
Donnie Wahlberg became famous as a member of New Kids on the Block but is now best known for his acting credits. For the past 13 years, Wahlberg has been playing the role of Danny Reagan in the fan-favorite procedural series Blue Bloods, but not many people know of his other less prominent roles, one of which was in the cult movie The Sixth Sense.
The actor appeared in The Sixth Sense as Vincent Grey, a patient of Dr. Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis. Vincent attempts to shoot Malcolm and then shoots himself in the movie's opening scene.
It may seem that this role was not particularly big, but it turns out it was very important for young Donnie Wahlberg, as his experience working with Bruce Willis has influenced much of his later career.
And if it weren't for Hollywood's greatest action star, we could end up with a different actor for Blue Bloods' Danny Reagan.
In an exclusive interview dedicated to the upcoming 25th anniversary of The Sixth Sense, Donnie spared no praise for his co-star:
'In my time working with him, Bruce was so cool to me,' Wahlberg said. 'So supportive… He just had my back…'
Clearly, that experience was especially important for Donnie as he was just starting his career as an actor, and this small role was quite difficult for him. For starters, just to get in the right shape for it, Wahlberg had to starve himself for five weeks, nearly ending up with an eating disorder. That was a devastating effort, and the young performer could easily drop out of acting altogether, focusing on his music career instead, but fortunately, Bruce Willis was there to give him support and inspiration.
'I remember when we went to the premiere of The Sixth Sense, he just kept hugging me and saying, "You did so good. You did so good. You really helped the movie",' Donnie added, proving how kind and encouraging Bruce was to him.
So thanks to Willis' support, Donnie Wahlberg had the confidence to continue his journey and become the actor we love today. All fans' hearts and minds are now with the iconic Hollywood star, who has retired from acting after he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, so this is the right time for his former colleagues to share these heartwarming memories and let the world know about Bruce Willis' amazing personal qualities and professional legacy.
Source: ET Online