Did you know that Mark Wahlberg was offered a role in Star Trek? A role he turned down?!

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Turns out we have Mark Wahlberg to thank for Chris Hemsworth‘s rise to prominence.

To explain: in a recent interview with Total Film to promote BROKEN CITY (which is on the verge of release in the UK), Wahlberg dished the surprising news that he was actually offered a role in J.J. Abrams‘ STAR TREK years ago. The role? None other than George Kirk, James T’s pop who (spoiler alert if you somehow have not seen the film) dies within the opening minutes of the reboot. A very small, but crucial, role; one that ultimately went to Hemsworth and immediately put him on all of our radars.

So why did Wahlberg pass on the cameo? Let him explain it:

I remember [Abrams] asking me to play Captain Kirk’s father in STAR TREK. I tried to read the script. I couldn’t…I didn’t understand the words or the dialogue or anything. I said ‘I couldn’t do this. I think you’re really talented, but I couldn’t do it.’ And then I saw the movie and I was like ‘holy shit, he did a great job.'”

Watch the actor talk turning down the role, as well as not being a big fan of sci-fi, in the video below. (He has certainly cozied up a little to the genre, however, as he’s set to star in Michael Bay‘s TRANSFORMERS 4.)

Oh, and at the end of the clip, Wahlberg says he “probably wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to work with J.J. again.” That means you can cue the “Will Mark Wahlberg be in STAR WARS?!?!” rumors right about… now!