L EARLIER THIS YEAR, FATHER STU
ABOUT A MAN WHO FINDS GOD AND
ENDS UP SAVING HIS FAMILY IN THE
PROCESS, IS MADE A HUGE SPLASH
AT THE BOX OFFICE.
WELL, NOW AN UNORTHODOXED VIEW
IS BRING IS BACK TO THEATERS.
IN A NEW FORUM CALLED FATHER STU
REBORN.
JOINING ME TO DISCUSS IS THE
STAR AND PRODUCER MARK WAHLBERG.
MARK, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US
AND TAKING TIME FROM
THANKSGIVING EVE.
THIS IS AN ODD MOVE TO RE-LUIS
THE MOTENIVE I HAVE IN THE SAME
YEAR WAS ORIGINALLY GNAT
RELEASED AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE
TO DO IT THIS WAY?
>> WELL, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE
R RATED MOVIE, LOTS OF FAMILIES
DIDN’T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH
THEIR CHILDREN SEEING IT, BUT
THEY REALLY WANTED THEM TO GET
THE MESSAGE SO BECAUSE THE ARCH
BISHOP THOMAS OF NEVADA WHO WAS
ACTUALLY ORDAINED FATHER STU IN
HELENA, MONTANA, CAME TO ME AND
SAID, MARK, I UNDERSTAND WHY THE
LANGUAGE IS THERE BUT IT WOULD
BE A SIN AND A SHAME FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE NOT TO SEE THIS MOVIE AND
TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS STORY.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE COULD SHARE WITH THAT
CHILDREN OF ALL AGES SO WE RECUT
THE FILM AND TOOK OUT ALL 200
SOME ODD SWEARS AND THE FILM IS
STILL POWERFUL AND IMPACTFUL AND
SEEING STU’S STRUCK AND WILL
JOURNEY TO GO THROUGH AND FIND
HIS CALLING WE FELT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES
TO SEE.
>> Raymond: ROSYLN ROSS WAS
YOUR DIRECTOR HERE AND TOLD ME
SHE CUT OUT ABOUT 200 EXPLICITS
AND TOOK HER A FEW WEEKS AND NOW
LIKE A 20 MINUTE MOVIE?
IS THIS DOUBLE TIME, STU, MARK?
WHAT DID YOU LOSE?
>> REALLY DIDN’T LOSE ANYTHING.
ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE,
THEY’LL BE IMPACTED BY STU’S
CONVICTION AND SEEING THE STORY
AND STRUGGLE AND HOW HE HANDLED
ADVERSITY AND STRUGGLING AND
SUFFERING THE WAY HE DID AND
REALLY EMBRACE IT HAD AND FOUND
HIS CALLING TO SERVE GOD.
I REMEMBER SEEING HARD TIMES IN
THE THEATER WITH MY DAD WHEN I
WAS 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD AND HAD A
PROFOUND IMPACT ON ME AND IT
DIDN’T HAVE ANY BAD LANGUAGE.
IT DIDN’T HAVE BEAR KNUCKLE
BOXING BUT THEN WILL ALLOW
CHILDREN TO GO AND SEE THE MOVIE
IN THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALLY
INTENDED WHEN THEY GET A BIT
OLDER AND IT’S MORE AGE
APPROPRIATE FOR THEM.
L>> Raymond: WHY DO YOU THINK
IT’S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS AND
FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY BOYS TO
SEE THIS MOVIE NOW?
MARK, I KNOW THAT WAS A GOAL FOR
YOU.
THAT YOUNG BOY SHOULD SEE THIS
WITH THEIR DADS.
>> YEAH, I WANTED YOUNG PEOPLE
AS A WHOLE TO SEE IT BUT
ESPECIALLY YOUNG BOYS BECAUSE
YOU REALLY KIND OF HOPEFULLY CAN
AVOID MAKING A LOT OF MISTAKES
THAT STU MADE IN GOING THROUGH A
LOT OF STRUGGLES HE DID.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT’S A
BRUTALLY HONEST DEPICTION OF
SOMEBODY STRUGGLING TRYING TO
FIND THEIR OWN WAYS AND FINDING
THEIR OWN WAYS AND GOING THROUGH
HARDSHIPS, ESPECIALLY LIVING
LIFE AND EXPRESSING ANGER THAT’S
NOT REALLY PRODUCTIVE.
I THINK STU, IF HE HAD A CHANCE
LIKE ALL OF US TO GO BACK AND DO
IT DIFFERENTLY, WE WOULD.
WE WANT TO PREVENT KIDS FROM
MAKING A LOT OF MISTAKES THAT WE
MADE.
CERTAINLY MISTAKES THAT I MADE
AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO
SHOW THEM AN EASIER PATH TO
SERVING GOD AND BEING POSITIVE
AND PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF
SOCIETY IN THE COMMUNITY AND
ESPECIALLY IN THE CHURCH AND
GRAVITATING TOWARDS THEIR FAITH,
WHETHER THAT’S KANSAS CITY
CHIEFS THOUGHT SCHISM OR JUDAISM
OR ISLAM OR BUDDHISM OR ANY
OTHER FORM OF FAITH.
>> Raymond: MARK, FATHER
STEWART LONG WAS AN ACTUAL
PERSON AND BASED ON A REAL
PERSON AND I DIDN’T KNOW THAT
BEFORE YOU SHOWED ME THIS FILM
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU SAID THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT MOVIES OF YOUR CAREER.
WHY?
YOU PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR
MOUTH IS BECAUSE YOU FUNDED IT
YOURSELF.
>> I’VE GRAVE STATED TOWARDS THE
TRUE STORIES AND I HAVE A FEW OF
THEM AND MAKE THE MOST IMPACT ON
PEOPLE AND AWED AUDIENCES BUT TH
FILM ESPECIALLY HAS TOUCHED TO
MANY PEOPLE AND REMINDED THEM OF
WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT AND WE
ALL DEAL WITH HARDSHIPS AND DEAL
WITH LOSS.
THE INEVITABLE BUT HOW YOU COPE
WITH THE THINGS AND TREATING AND
INTERACTING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND
ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE
WHERE THERE’S SO MANY DIVIDE AND
IT’S A MOVIE THAT BRINGS PEOPLE
TOGETHER AND LOVE AND SUPPORT
PEOPLE AND KNOW THEY’RE NOT
FORGETTEN AND MADE MISTAKES AND
NOBODY IS BEYOND REDEMPTION AND
AGAIN, WE WANT TO SPREAD A LOT
MORE LOVE AND A LOT MORE
ACCEPTANCE.
>> Raymond: MARK, I LOVE THAT
YOU HAVE A FAMILY THAT’S
SHATTERED AT THE BEGINNING AND
THE STORY REALLY IS NO FAMILY IS
EVER IRREDEEMABLE.
NO PEACE CAN’T BE PUT BACK
TOGETHER AND ON THE FAR SIDE OF
SUFFERING, THAT’S WHERE YOU FIND
REDEMPTION.
THAT’S A HARD PATH BUT IT’S A
TRUE PATH AND NOW, MARK, YOU
HAVE A NEW FOCUS IT SEEMS TO ME.
NOT ONLY ON FAMILY AND IN THE
FILM PROJECTS YOU’RE EMBRACING
BUT YOUR OWN FAMILY.
YOU DECIDED TO MOVE TO NEVADA
RECENTLY TO GIVE THEM A FRESH
START.
WHY?
WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN LA?
>> WELL, WE HAD ONE CHILD WHO
WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BEING --
SHE’S IN AN AMAZING PLACE SO I
DON’T WANT TO PUT HER OR HER
BUSINESS OUT THERE BUT IT WAS A
CHALLENGE.
IT WAS A CHALLENGE GROWING UP
WITH A CELEBRITY NAME.
A CHALLENGE GROWING UP UNDER THE
SPOTLIGHT AND GIVE OUR KIDS THE
BEST CHANCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
THEY’VE BEEN THRIVING IN A NEW
ENVIRONMENT.
A LOT OF PRESSURE BEING ATTACHED
TO ME AND THAT SORT OF THING.
I JUST WANTED THEM TO HAVE THEIR
OWN SPACE AND THEIR OWN PLACE
AND THEY’VE BEEN DOING AMAZING.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO RAISE HEALTHY,
HAPPY CHILDREN ANYWHERE AND IT’S
ALSO NO REAL SAFE PLACE TO AVOID
DRUGS AND PEER PRESSURE AND ALL
OF THOSE THINGS THAT COME ALONG
WITH BEING A YOUNG
IMPRESSIONABLE CHILD.
BUT I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR
SAFE ENVIRONMENT IT WAS THE BEST
THING FOR MY CHILDREN AND
HOPEFULLY CAN DO LOTS OF GREAT
THINGS AS FAR AS CREATING JOBS
AND OPPORTUNITY THERE AS WELL.
IT WAS JUST SO MANY PROS TO
MOVING THERE AND GIVING US ALL A
FRESH START.
>> Raymond: I LOVE THAT AND
YOUR WIFE STAYS CLOSE TO THEM
WHEN YOU’RE WORKING AND THAT TOO
IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT FOUNDATION
IN THE FAMILY.
I MEAN, IT’S GREAT.
SO LIKE ANGELA LANDRY --
>> SHE’S THE ANCHOR AND SHE’S
THE FOUNDATION AND GLUE AND
REASON WHY KIDS ARE DRIVING AND
I DON’T GIVE HER ENOUGH CREDIT
AS OFTEN AS DESERVED BUT SHE’S
THE ONE THAT GETS ALL THE CREDIT
AND IT’S WELL DESERVED.
>> Raymond: I HAVE THE SAME
STORY, PAL.
MY REBECCA DOES THE SAME STORY
AT HOME.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST THANKFUL FOR
THIS THANKSGIVING, MARK, BEFORE
I LET YOU GO?
>> THANKSGIVING IS MY FAVORITE
HOLIDAY.
I’M GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE MY
HEALTH, THAT I’M SO BLESSED AND
SO FORTUNATE AND, YOU KNOW, THAT
NOW MY FOCUS HAS SHIFTED TO
THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO
HOPEFULLY MAKE MORE POSITIVE
IMPACT ON PEOPLE AND HELP PEOPLE
AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ABLE TO MAKE
MY PANS PROUD BEFORE THEY
PASSED.
SO MANY REASONS TO BE GRATEFUL,
I REALLY DO.
I WEAR OUT THE CLOTH ON MY
PAJAMAS EVERY MORNING EXPRESSING
MY GRATITUDE AND I WILL CONTINUE
TO DO THAT.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL RUB OFF ON
MY CHILDREN AND OTHER PEOPLE
THAT I’M AROUND AND THAT I CAN
CONTINUE TO EXPRESS THAT AND I
HAVE TO DO THAT ON A DAILY
BASIS.
>> Raymond: WE’RE THANKFUL TO
YOU.
YOU BROUGHT A GREAT BEE SON OF
HOPE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH
THE TIM. THIS YEAR AND BEFORE I
SIGN OFF.
THERE ARE REPORTS I READ THAT
YOU’RE BEING APPROACHED TO JOIN
MARVEL UNIVERSE.
ARE YOU GETTING FITTED FOR YOUR
SPANDEX BEFORE I LET YOU GO?
>> NO, THERE’S NO TRUTH TO THAT
I’VE NEVER BEEN APPROACHED AND I
DON’T KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE THE
COURAGE TO WALK OUT OF MY
TRAILER IN ONE OF THOSE
COSTUMES.
THAT BEING SAID, I AM FOCUSING
ON AND I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU AND OTHER FOLKS
IN THE SPACE CREATING OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES TO TELL WONDERFUL
STORIES THAT WILL BRING PEOPLE
CLOSER TOGETHER.
>> Raymond: THAT’S A GREAT
GOAL IN THE NEW YEAR AND HAPPY
THANS GIVING TO YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE
YOU AND OTHER FAMILIES AND
DECEMBER 9, IT’S WORTH SEEING
AND BRING YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, MARK, TO YOU