Mark Wahlberg and alcohol don’t mix well when TV interviews are involved.
In 2013, the Flight Risk star appeared on an episode of The Graham Norton Show alongside Sarah Silverman and Michael Fassbender to promote his film Broken City. But chaos quickly ensued as fans noticed he hijacked the spotlight constantly cutting off his fellow actors, sitting sluggishly, kissing Sarah, and even at one point straddling the host. And over 12 years later, Norton still can’t forget it.
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The talk show host attended the 2025 Henley Literary Festival over the weekend, where he alleged Mark showed up to the infamous interview “drunk.” Per The Independent, he said:
“If you ever see a drunk person on the show, it’s because they’ve arrived drunk — we have not made that happen.”
He continued:
“Mark Wahlberg was a weird one because when he arrived, he didn’t seem drunk. He told me about his film, told me a couple of stories about stunts going wrong or whatever, and then it was only 15 minutes into the show when whatever the hell was in his system really took hold — and it was hell.”
Like we mentioned, at one point in the February 2013 episode, Mark sat on Graham’s lap and played with his nipples. WTAF!
Norton noted that neither he, nor Sarah Silverman or Michael Fassbender “could tell a story” because the Ted star would “just interrupt.” He recalled:
“At one stage, Michael Fassbender was telling a story … he was really getting into the heart of the anecdote. I thought, ‘This one is going well — I wonder why,’ and I looked over at Mark Wahlberg and he was asleep. So yeah, we don’t encourage that.”
Jeez! What a mess!
Norton also addressed rumors that show producers intentionally try to get guests drunk, clarifying, “We really don’t.” The 62-year-old added:
“There’ll be a drink waiting for you if you want one and then, while we’re showing a clip or getting the music ready, they might be able to rush in and top you up, but the most you can have is two, three tops. So if anyone does want to appear on the show and be drunk, my tip to you would be pre-load.”
Unless you’re Mark Wahlberg… Then maybe just stick to water. Ha! Months after backlash over the viral interview, the Patriots Day star addressed his behavior in an interview with Digital Spy:
“I tried to do a bit, and some people took it a little too seriously.”
Norton also spoke to the outlet at the time, assuring fans Mark is a “really lovely guy” overall:
“We’ve all done that thing where you suddenly realize, ‘I’m by far the drunkest person at this dinner party’ and you don’t know how that happened. It was a bit like that, so I don’t judge him harshly at all. It was just a thing.”
You NEVER want to be the drunkest person at the dinner party! Especially if said dinner party is being recorded for a televised interview! You can watch the full 2013 interview (below):
Mark is no stranger to erratic behavior, though. All the way back in 1986, he was involved in racially motivated attacks where he targeted Black children, hurling racial slurs and rocks at them. Two years later, he violently attacked two Vietnamese men in separate incidents, assaulting them both physically and with racial slurs. He was ultimately convicted of assault and battery and sentenced to 45 days in prison.
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