Donnie Wahlberg: biography and career

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:45

Donnie Wahlberg is an American actor, musician, record producer and director. Leader of the New Kids On The Block boy band. As an actor, he became famous for his roles in the Saw series of films, the films The Sixth Sense and Dreamcatcher, as well as the Blue Bloods series. Brother of famous Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg.

Childhood and youth

Donnie Wahlberg was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The eighth of nine children in the family.

At the age of fifteen, he auditioned for the pop group New Kids On The Block and became its first member. After that, he brought his younger brother Mark (who soon left her for a solo career) and childhood friend Danny Wood to the team.

Music career

New Kids On The Block released four albums between 1988 and 1994. Sold about eighty million records. In the first two years of its existence, it topped the Billboard magazine chart three times and, according to journalists, bypassed Madonna and Michael Jackson in terms of profitability.

After 1990, the group's popularity began to decline and in 1994 it wasdissolved. In 2008, the band reunited for an anniversary concert tour and have since released two albums and one EP. Considered one of the best teen pop bands in the history of music.

Acting

In 1996, Donnie Wahlberg made his film debut, playing one of the roles in the movie Bullet, where Mickey Rourke and Tupac Shakur became his screen partners. In the same year, he played one of the kidnappers in the thriller Ransom starring Mel Gibson.

In 1999, he played the mentally ill patient of the protagonist in the thriller The Sixth Sense and received positive reviews for this work from film critics and ordinary viewers. In 2001, he played one of the main roles in Steven Spielberg's military mini-series Band of Brothers.

In 2003, the actor played in the successful horror film Dreamcatcher based on the novel by Stephen King. One of the most successful films with Donnie Wahlberg is the sequel to the famous horror Saw. Donnie is back for two more installments in the franchise.

Starting in 2010, he has been starring in the police series Blue Bloods. The series has received excellent ratings and was recently renewed for a ninth season. Donnie Wahlberg's most recent role in a feature film is the comedy My Zoo Boy.

In 2014, along with his brother Mark, he launched the reality show The Wahlburgers, named after the chain of restaurants and bars owned by Donnie, Mark and Paul Wahlberg. He also appeared on a short-lived reality show based on his relationship with wife Jenny McCarthy.

Personallife

In 1999, Donnie Wahlberg married Kimberly Faye. The couple have two sons. The couple divorced in 2008.

In 2013, he met model and actress Jenny McCarthy, with whom he legalized relations in 2014.