Courtesy of Rhea Durham/Instagram
Mark Wahlberg has always been a big family man.
The actor is the youngest of Alma and Donald Wahlberg Sr.’s nine children. His siblings include Deborah, Michelle, Paul, Arthur, Jim, Tracey, Robert and Donnie Wahlberg.
Mark’s older sister, Deborah, died in September 2003, from an unexpected heart attack. The same day Mark lost his sister, he also became a first time father as he and Rhea Durham welcomed their first child, daughter Ella. The couple later expanded their brood with sons Michael and Brendan and daughter Grace.
Over the years, Mark has brought his children to countless events, including movie premieres. In November 2024, Durham gave fans a glimpse at the pair’s family dynamic as they posed for a group pH๏τo for Thanksgiving.
“So grateful my whole family is home for the holiday. 💗🙏🏼🔗❣️,” Durham wrote via Instagram alongside a series of snaps from their dinner at Nobu.
Keep scrolling to get to know Wahlberg’s family:
Rhea Durham
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Mark and Durham began dating in 2001. The model became pregnant with her and Mark’s first child, Ella, two years later. The couple expanded their family with sons Michael and Brendan in March 2006 and September 2008, respectively.
After welcoming three children, Mark and Durham tied the knot in August 2009. One year after their nuptials, the twosome completed their family with Grace, who was born in January 2010.
Ella Wahlberg
Courtesy of Rhea Durham/Instagram
Ella was born the same day her aunt Deborah pᴀssed away. The Departed star has been candid about how his eldest daughter’s birthday is bittersweet for him.
“Happy B day my Ella❤️🎁18 years old 😚wow how time flies. So proud of you!!” Mark wrote via Instagram in September 2021 alongside throwback pics of his daughter and sister. “Always A [bittersweet] day. Missing my big sister Debbie💔 Ella’s Guardian angel. 🙏❤️🙏😇.”
Mark has given his stamp of approval for Ella’s boyfriend, James, who she’s been dating since January 2021.
“I used to work out to keep the boys away from my girls, and now I’m working out with the boyfriend. Imagine that,” Mark said in a January 2022 Instagram clip of him and James at the gym.
Michael Wahlberg
Getty Images
Mark and his firstborn son have formed a close bond over the shared love of sports over the years. When Mark was working on the 2010 film, The Fighter, the actor set up a boxing ring in the yard which Michael enjoyed playing in.
“He puts on the gloves, tells me to get on my hands and knees and to put my hands behind my back and he just punches me as hard as he can,” Mark said of his son during a 2010 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. “Fun for him, not fun for me because literally I was like, ‘This kid is starting to hit hard, man!’ I had a bit of a headache.”
Brendan Wahlberg
Rhea Durham with Brendan Joseph Wahlberg, Grace Margaret Wahlberg, Ella Rae Wahlberg and Michael Wahlberg on August 1, 2015 in Westwood, California. Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Like his dad and older brother, Brendan is also a big fan of sports. Mark and Brendan enjoy spending quality time together on the golf course.
“Driving lesson! The kid’s a natural. ❤️,” Wahlberg captioned an August 2021 Instagram video of Brendan behind the wheel of the golf cart.
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Grace Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg, Rhea Durham, Brendan Joseph Wahlberg, Grace Margaret Wahlberg, Ella Rae Wahlberg and Michael Wahlberg on April 26, 2015 in West Hollywood, California. JB Lacroix/WireImage
Mark has gushed about his youngest daughter’s achievements as an equestrian.
“She’s already traveling the world, jumping horses and doing her thing,” Mark said of Grace during a July 2022 appearance on The Tonight Show. “She loves it … and she takes so much pride in the little stuff. She’s at the barn every day, shoveling poop … She’s up before me.”
