Mark Wahlberg: 'The Fighter' Star Says 7-Year Old Daughter Went On A Date (VIDEO)

Mark Wahlberg was a troublemaking kid that grew up fast, but his daughter may have him beat. Then again, he probably didn't go see Disney movies.

Wahlberg, the star of "The Fighter," appeared on "The Tonight Show" on Monday night and dished about, among other things, his four children. The star said that he generally only sees kids' movies at this point -- "Toy Story 3" had him in tears -- but his daughter had a special someone at a recent film.

"She gave a boy in her class my cell phone number, he calls me and says, 'Hey, Mr. Wahlberg, I'm taking your daughter to the movies.' I'm like, what? Seven years old! I say at least seven more years."

So what'd he do?

"He's seven too and I'm like okay, let me talk to your father. So me and the father talk, we take them to the movies, they don't say a word to each other."

Wahlberg teared up at that film, too -- "Tangled" told the story of a daughter taken away from her family. Watch out, seven year old Romeo. This guy was once known as Marky Mark.

'The Fighter' star also talks getting snubbed for a Best Actor Oscar, as well as a certain bad habit he recently broke.

WATCH:

Comments

[grungegirl991]

08:23 AM on 02/09/2011

Clearly he was joking-it was a "playdate"-not a real date. I think he's just scared to when she is REALLY dating when she is like 15-or 16.

[EveAngel]

09:42 PM on 02/08/2011

Sorry if this sounds ignorant. But I am SHOCKED that Mark W has stayed with his wife this long. I guess he has grown up, go Mark.

[Hard2kill]

05:42 AM on 02/09/2011

I think mark has changed a lot since he meet his wife....

[dovelove]

07:34 PM on 02/08/2011

Oh that's too cute. I remember having a "boyfriend" in pre-school. I had no idea what having a boyfriend meant.

[EveAngel]

09:43 PM on 02/08/2011

I do too. I remember us catching caterpillars and I actually got my first kiss that age, but it was more like we touched our foreheads, cheeks and noses thinking that was a kiss.

[ywcachieve]

12:45 AM on 02/09/2011

I had my first boyfriend in first grade.

[MexiChick67]

05:48 PM on 02/08/2011

I would not call that a 'date', but just two kids catching a movie. Personally, I think that Mark Wahlberg is going to be one of those dads that is quite conservative with his kids, esp. the daughters. I've seen it. They know what is out there. He was the boy that all fathers warn their daughters about.

[Balzac]

09:27 PM on 02/08/2011

There is domestic harmony in the home of a traditional father. He's raising a daughter who knows she can reach out to her dad any time.

Also, she'll be well socialized, learning etiquette and such. Maybe I should ask Mark if I can date her (not really) because she'll be quite the lady one day.

There is nothing controversial about this. She can go on dates, chaperoned by her father, and learn to dine and converse, and then perhaps do a Viennese Waltz with her suitor who will grow up to be like a Renaissance man. That's real fatherhood.

[keren2]

01:56 PM on 02/08/2011

When I was four or five a little boy in my pre-school asked me to go to the 'Care Bear Movie' with him. I have no real memories of the "date" but my mom still tells the story like it is the cutest thing I've ever done. I guess our parents handled it the same way Mark W. did in this story. The boy asked me to the movie, our moms discussed it and then all four of us when to see Care Bears. My mom still has a picture somewhere in the house of this boy and I on our "first date".

It's cute and serves as a teachable moment for kids -- teaching them to be respectable and responsible.

[wolfiegirl]

01:01 PM on 02/08/2011

Cute. When my son at about 11 asked if he could go on a date, I told him that I would take him and some other kids, including girls, out somewhere. If he wanted to socialize with girls, it would be in a group. Nothing came of it, but that was the plan.

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

02:20 PM on 02/08/2011

LOL, isn't funny what you remember. Am 63 yrs old and I remember when I was 8 yrs old and we were visiting my relatives in Italy. I was a very shy. This boy that was a yr older than me would come over and play with my brothers and sisters outside. Well he liked me and he wanted me to come to his house and meet his family. I didn't want to go because I was shy. My mother said I should go and my brother would go with me. When we got there he had has grandparents, aunts, uncles and parents there. Of course I didn't speak. Heck you would of thought we were going to get married, LOL. They had all sorts of pastries and I was to shy to take anything. My brother was having a ball. Well after a hour or so we went home. But it is funny the things you remember. Many years later when I was a teenager I saw him riding a motor bike. He didn't same anything and I didn't either. I do wonder if he remembered the situation. It's funny now but not then.

[wolfiegirl]

02:42 PM on 02/08/2011

LOL. No, to children/teens/young adults, these things can be very awkward and painful, and not funny at all. It's such a hard stage!

[goodmarina]

12:47 PM on 02/08/2011

a very misleading headline -- the tabbies could not have matched this click-grabber


i think the two dads handled the situation correctly.  kids are curious and will try to mimic what they see on TV or from what they overhear friends/family talking.


Walburg did exactly what a parent should have done -- "let me talk to your dad"

[llisa]

01:08 PM on 02/08/2011

Exactly. If this is dating, then my two-year-old granddaughter has been dating for about a year. Her favorite playmate is a two-year-old boy.

[BowlingForRevenge]

12:22 PM on 02/08/2011

The problem with "dating" at 7 is just going to a movie is totally boring at 10-11.
Heavens they've been movie "dating" for years by then.
So does the 3 date rule apply?

This is the typical parent that fears rejection by #1 the kids #2 their kids friends and #3 other parents so they just let it ride.
My condolences to the daughter too bad her father's only strong on the movies.

[kapalabhati]

12:53 PM on 02/08/2011

My condolences to you for failing to read the article to see that the two fathers accompanied the children.

[AllyCat7]

01:33 PM on 02/08/2011

Doesn't matter. It was still initiated as a romantic date on the boy's part.

[AllyCat7]

12:06 PM on 02/08/2011

Just what this little girl needs. A silly boy to distract her from her studies. Mark should NOT have returned the little boy's call.

[goodmarina]

12:46 PM on 02/08/2011

stop being silly ...  

the parents handled it correctly

[AllyCat7]

12:55 PM on 02/08/2011

I'm not being silly. I'm being realistic. Why should a 7 year old be going on dates? Not only is it distracting, but it's unhealthy. People, especially girls, should not be dating until they have developed a healthy sense of esteem and self. Rather than focusing on pleasing her teachers by getting good grades or pleasing her parents by displaying good behavior at home, she'll now be thinking of how to please this little boy. If he so much as makes fun of her just one time, that could damage her self esteem in a major way. And God forbid she break up with him or get on his bad side. Who knows what he could do to damage her if that were to happen. Dating is stressful enough as an adult. There is no need for children to be rushed into it!

[Box500]

05:22 PM on 02/08/2011

Lighten up, Francis

[AllyCat7]

05:55 PM on 02/08/2011

Who said I wasn't. I don't have to espouse bad parenting to prove to you that I'm "light".

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

09:19 PM on 02/08/2011

Watch out Box 500, her fangs are coming out. You are not entitled to have your own opinion. Did you know that people who don't have children are the greatest experts. I used to be like Allycat7. Poor thing. BUT she has a right for her own opinion.

[El Verdad]

11:51 AM on 02/08/2011

Say hello to your mother for me!

[wolfiegirl]

12:59 PM on 02/08/2011

That was great!

[NatTurner1]

11:29 AM on 02/08/2011

Great interview. I hope Miley Cyrus was watching!

[Panasit Ch]

11:27 AM on 02/08/2011

ํYour daughter will end up with someone anyway. These day and age, if a guy comes along who is a gentlemen enough to call the girl's dad and ask before a date, I'd say take it.

[Jazmo]

11:10 AM on 02/08/2011

Kissed my first boyfriend in the cloak room in 1st grade while the nuns were otherwise occupied. It's all downhill from here, Marky Mark.

[sandyhh]

11:03 AM on 02/08/2011

So when does the daughter go into drug rehab?

[kapalabhati]

12:54 PM on 02/08/2011

Aren't you a charmer?

[hema333]

10:43 AM on 02/08/2011

mark is right...
7 years is very young age...
i can not wait to see the fighter in theaters here...
i am waiting it since december...
was mark should nominated to Oscar best actor ???

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

09:21 PM on 02/08/2011

He was nominated. He is a good actor. Talking about someone who grew up. He sure is doing well. He is a good daddy.

[hema333]

08:11 AM on 02/09/2011

he was nominated for best picture for the fighter...
not for best actor in the fighter...
i think they should put him instead of jeff bridges...
because it is very hard for jeff to win this year...
he won it last year...