Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg was born June 5, 1971, and is an Academy Award-nominated, BAFTA-winning American actor, former rapper and producer of film and TV. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years and became famous in his 1991 debut as a rap musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named #1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of the 90's. He was an original member of 90s pop group New Kids On The Block, and left to pursue a successful solo career. Mark is known for his impressive physique. He first displayed it in the Good Vibrations music video and most prominently in a series of underwear ads for Calvin Klein. Mark is a practising Roman Catholic and credits his faith and a priest from his childhood for helping him turn his life around and recognize the seriousness of his faith. Mark's career really took off in films, and he has a string of movie successes and has received strong reviews.