Mark Wahlberg On Sony Hack: They’re Probably Saying Same Thing About Me

Mark Wahlberg isn’t all that surprised by the Sony hack and subsequent unpleasant information released about executives’ opinions on stars.

“Nothing is private these days and if you have something to say about somebody, you know, be able to say it to their face,” Mark told Access Hollywood at the junket for his new movie, “The Gambler,” when asked about the Sony hack.

The 43-year-old actor said he’s seen executives speak very bluntly about talent when making decisions, so he wasn’t shocked to see harsh opinions in leak e-mails.

“I personally – because now I’m on the other side of things where I’m, as an actor and as a producer, I’m on the other side of the casting table – I’ve been in the room with studio heads and people who make real decisions who are often talking about — and not very pleasantly! – about people, their ability or lack thereof,” he said.

Adding, “And it was frightening to me because I thought, ‘Well hey, this is probably what they’re saying about me when I’m not in the room.'”

While no one wants to hear negative things said about themselves, Mark said his line of work requires that people “have tough skin.”

“I wouldn’t take it personally if they said something negative about me. It is what it is,” he said. “It’s part of the business. And I’m lucky enough to have my job.

“You’ve gotta have tough skin, and you’re constantly being critiqued with your work no matter how passionate [you are] or how much you put in to it,” he said. “But I can understand why people are sensitive about it too.”

“The Gambler” is a remake of the famous 1974 film starring James Caan, and Mark explained what makes their film different from the original.

“Most gamblers are about the thrill, and that was the debate that I would have with James Tovack who was the writer and inspiration for the original. He is the gambler. He is all about the thrill and doesn’t feel alive unless he has action,” Mark said. “And that was very much Jimmy Caan in the original movie, but we wanted to do something different, while paying respect to the original and being inspired by that we still wanted to make it our own.”

And James Caan approved of the remake wholeheartedly.

“He loved it. He had tears in his eyes,” Mark said of James’ reaction. “He came to my home, he had a meal and then watched the movie. He loved it. He was so supportive of me making the movie. And then he’s been out there now talking about the movie helping me promote it. When you get that kind of stamp of approval you don’t need much else.”

“The Gambler” hits theaters on Christmas Day.

— Erin O’Sullivan