Mark Wahlberg's 4 Children: All About Ella, Michael, Brendan and Grace

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: John Shearer/WireImage

Mark Wahlberghas one of the most extensive résumés in Hollywood, but his “most important role” is being a father.

The Oscar-nominated actor and his wife,Rhea Durham, share four children:Ella, 21, Michael, 18, Brendan, 16 and Grace, 15. While raising four kids is “not easy,” Wahlberg oftenturns to his faith"for the strength and guidance" to be the best parent he can be.

“I want to give my kids the world, but I also want them to appreciate everything, to succeed, to be good people, to enjoy life,” Wahlberg has said about his parenting philosophy. “This ismy most important role. If I fail at this, I fail at everything.”

The proud dad is very supportive of his kid’s individual interests. He even moved the family from Los Angeles to Nevada to give them a “better life.”

“To be able to give my kids a better life and follow and pursue their dreams — whether it bemy daughter as an equestrian, my son as a basketball player, my younger son as a golfer — this made a lot more sense for us,” Wahlberg said during a virtual appearance onThe Talkin October 2022. He added that he and Durham “came here to just kind of give ourselves a new look, a fresh start for the kids, and there’s lots of opportunity here.”

It turns out that the move was a good idea becausesix months after relocatingin April 2023, Wahlberg said that his four children “love Vegas.” He added: “Everybody is thriving there, it’s been great.”

In August 2024, Durham, Michael, Brendan and Grace joined Wahlberg at the premiere of his filmThe Union. Ella missed the family outing because she was away at college.

Here’s everything to know about Mark Wahlberg’s children.

Ella Rae Wahlberg, 21

Mark Wahlberg Instagram

Wahlberg and Durham first became parents when their daughter, Ella Rae, was born on Sept. 2, 2003, in L.A. The same day, one of Wahlberg’s older sisters, Deborah Wahlberg, unexpectedly died from a heart attack at the age of 43.

As a result, Wahlberg has acknowledged how Ella’s birthday can be a “bittersweet” day for the actor. When Ella turned 18 in 2021, Wahlberg shared apair of imageson his Instagram account paying tribute to both his daughter and his big sister.

Over the years, Wahlberg has admitted that raising a teenage daughter can be “a challenge.”

“It’s tough, but people say that they pass through it and they come back to you,” he told PEOPLE in 2018. “She wants to go be off and doing her thing. [There’s] a lot of attitude, a lot of aggression, a lot of, ‘You’re the worst, you ruin everything!’ "

But the tumultuous years appear to be behind Wahlberg and his older daughter. The two have since bonded over some unlikely things: Ella’s dating life and her fashion.

Ella Rae has been dating her boyfriend, James, formore than a year. Wahlberg hasvoiced his approvalof his daughter’s significant other, calling him “fantastic” and stating that the young couple is “perfect for each other.” The actor and the teen boy also share lots of common interests, and the two have evenhit the gymtogether.

“I used to work out to keep the boys away from my girls, and now I’m working out with the boyfriend. Imagine that,” Wahlberg said in an Instagramclip. He added in his caption: “Ella is a lucky girl and I’m a lucky dad! He is a great young man.”

Rhea Wahlberg Instagram

Wahlberg and Ella have connected over her clothing choices — specifically, an oldMarky Mark and the Funky BunchT-shirt Ella purchased from a vintage shop.

“She’s been rocking it like crazy,” Wahlberg told PEOPLE of Ella’sold-school Marky Mark gear. “She was really rocking [it] with me … It’s nice to have [her celebrate] some of my past. That was actually a very nice little moment for me.”

Michael Wahlberg, 18

Wahlberg and Durham welcomed their first son, Michael, on March 21, 2006, in L.A. As the older boy in the Wahlberg clan, Michael’s name pays tribute to both his father and his grandfather.

“My dad called me Mike since I was a kid,” Wahlberg shared ahead of this birth. “So in honor of my dad, I think we’re going toname him Michael.”

Growing up, Michael was “obsessed with everything sports” — includingboxingat one point. When Wahlberg was filming the 2010 movieThe Fighter, the actor had a boxing ring set up in the family’s backyard to train for his role as Micky Ward. But Michael — who was just 4 years old at the time — quickly became infatuated with the ring, too.

“He just punches me as hard as he can,” Wahlberg said of Michael. “Fun for him, not fun for me because literally I was like, ‘This kid is starting to hit hard man!’ "

“So proud of this young man❤️🙏congrats buddy!!” Wahlberg captioned thephoto. “Even though mommy deserves most of the credit😂thanks babe🙏❤️.”

In March 2023, Wahlberg celebrated Michael’s 17th birthday with a sweet tribute on Instagram.

The following month,Wahlberg and Durham got Michael his first car— a Ford Bronco.

Brendan Joseph Wahlberg, 16

Brendan Joseph Wahlberg joined the growing family on Sept. 16, 2008. As Wahlberg shared during an appearance onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno, his older siblings had mixed reactions to his arrival.

Brendan shares his older brother’s passion for sports, even sinking ahalf-court basketball shotat just 10 years old. But Wahlberg has said that he often steers clear of his kids' sports practices or games and insteadwatches from the car, to help them “have their own identity.”

One sport Brendan plays with his dad, though, is golf — and Wahlberg lets himdrive the cart. “Driving lesson! The kid’s a natural. ❤️” Wahlberg captioned anInstagram videoof Brendan behind the golf cart wheel — looking identical to his father.

In March 2023, Wahlberg and Brendanattended a UFC fightat the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“Fight night with this guy❤️,” theUnchartedactor captioned a photo of the father-son duo.

Months later, the dad of four posted a special tribute for Brendan’s 15th birthday onFacebook, writing alongside photos of Brendan through the years, “Had a great weekend celebrating Brendan’s 15th birthday!”

Grace Margaret Wahlberg, 15

Wahlberg and Durham welcomed their fourth child, a daughter named Grace Margaret, on Jan. 11, 2010.

TheBoogie Nightsstar has shared several sweet moments with his younger daughter over the years, includingfirst communionin April 2018, her father-daughter dance in 2010 (where sherefused to dancewith Wahlberg) and aquarantine spa dayin March 2020.

At 15 years old, Grace is already a budding equestrian. In an appearance onThe Tonight Showin July 2022, Wahlberg joked about how his youngest had picked “the most expensive sport possible.”

Mark Wahlberg and Rhea Durham with daughter Grace.Mark Wahlberg Instagram

“She’s already traveling the world, jumping horses and doing her thing,” Wahlberg told hostJimmy Fallonabout Grace. “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.”

Wahlberg had previously discussed Grace’s love for horses, as well as a particular perk of the sport, during a 2018 interview with PEOPLE. “My younger daughter is heavy into horses and all that stuff — lots of stuff that keeps her focused andaway from boyshopefully until she’s 30, which is great,” he joked.

Grace also bears astrong resemblanceto her famous father, which Wahlberg poked fun at on Instagram in December 2022. Alongside a photo of Ella and a throwback shot of himself sporting shoulder-length hair, Wahlberg wrote, “They say we look alike? 💕👼.”

But Grace didn’t just inherit Wahlberg’s good looks. In June 2023, the proud dad talked to PEOPLE about his daughter’sdedication to ridinghorses and noted that she likes to get up early to train. The actor explained that Grace is “the most like me” and “she’s got my work ethic for sure.”

“She works out now. She’s an equestrian. She now wants to go up in meters and to be a Grand Prix Jumper. She’s got to train,” he told PEOPLE.

“She’s doing things that my other kids are kind of now starting to think, ‘Well, we’ve got to start doing something because she’s got it all figured out, what she wants to do and how she wants to do it,” he added. “And she’s doing the work.”

source: people.com