Mark Wahlberg To Star In Faith-Based Film About A Boxer-Turned-Priest

Mark Wahlberg is a rarity in Hollywood. He not only lives his faith, he shares it with his fellow actors. Now, he’s bringing his faith to the big screen in a Christian film.

The Entourage star will be starring in the movie Stu.

Stuart Long was a tremendous athlete who later became a priest. He excelled at boxing and was the 1985 Golden Gloves Heavyweight champion for Montana. He also excelled at football and was a wrestling coach. 

Mark Wahlberg’s Catholic Faith

As a devout Catholic who is an athlete himself, Wahlberg understands the significance of highlighting Father Stuart Long’s life. He regularly shares his faith on social media. Now, he is bringing it to a movie. 

Although Long studied at a Catholic college, he was not a believer.

As a student, his ant-religion attitude was very disruptive to Carroll College in Helena. He was very antagonizing when it came to faith and religion.

He was a “quintessential anti-Christian” with a “huge grudge.”

But, God works in mysterious ways and he used Father Stu Long as an example of this.

Now, Mark Wahlberg is bringing this story to the big screen to help inspire people to reach out to others.

Jesus can really change your life and help you release grudges. 

RELATED: Mark Wahlberg Explains How He Boldly Shares His Faith With Hollywood Peers

From Agnostic To Father Stuart Long

After graduation and a low point in his life, Stu was in a motorcycle accident. He wasn’t supposed to live.

But, he did. God got his attention through this encounter with death.

He left the hospital and headed to church a week later. 

In 1994, Stuart Long was baptized.

This set his religious career into motion.

In 2007, he was ordained into the priesthood. But, life had another curveball for him.

Wahlberg believes Long’s entire life is meant to play out in a movie as he dealt with so much adversity yet still shined with God’s love. 

He was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis, a rare autoimmune disease with symptoms similar to ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Despite this, he never lost his faith or his positive attitude. Father Stu never complained. He died in 2014 at age 50. 

RELATED: Mark Wahlberg Prioritizes Faith And Family – But Attributes His ‘Authentic’ Acting to Troubled Past

Wahlberg, who will be the priest in the movie, has enlisted the help of another well known Hollywood Catholic, Mel Gibson.

The Braveheart actor will be portraying Father Stu’s dad. 

Mark Wahlberg is so motivated for this movie to be made, that he is also investing heavily in it.

Stu will be fueled by both Wahlberg’s time and treasure. 

A video of Father Stuart Long’s can be seen in the video below.