SHREWSBURY ― Marky Mark is going for Oscar gold in Central Massachusetts.
Mark Wahlberg — who first made a stir as the frontman of the hip-hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch before launching on a successful movie career — will film a scene from his next film project “Weekend Warriors” on Route 20 in Shrewsbury.
Tuesday, Sept. 23 the Shrewsbury Select Board approved a road closure request from location manager Mark Fitzgerald, working for Apple Studios Inc.
“This is my sixth Mark Wahlberg movie and if he’s ever going to get nominated, this is the one. I promise you,” Fitzgerald insisted. “It’s a great story.”
Although it may have slipped his mind that Wahlberg was nominated for best supporting actor for his role in Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed,” Fitzgerald had nothing but praise for the potential of the project.
“Mark plays a long-haul trucker and his son has autism. And they do a bunch of road trips to bond. They go to all the NBA arenas. Mark and his family are Celtics fans and his wife’s family are Knicks fans,” Fitzgerald said. “So when the son turns 12, he’s got to make a decision and he needs to go to all arenas to do the math, so to speak.”
Filming is slated to take place from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 8 at Flynn’s Truck Stop, 708 Grafton St.
It won’t be the first time Flynn’s has hosted big-name stars.
April 30, 2014, Jerry Seinfeld and “Parks and Recreation” star Aziz Ansari filmed scenes for season four of “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” at Flynn’s, where they attempted to drive a big rig, and Brody’s Diner across the street.
For the Shrewsbury scene in “Weekend Warriors” a “traffic jam” will be the stage, according to Sydney Sherrell, assistant location manager at IATSE 481, the New England studio mechanics union.
To throw would-be gawkers off the trail, Apple Studios is using the working moniker “Cheesesteak” for the film production.
“It’s kind of a great, heartwarming story,” Fitzgerald said. “I guarantee you’ll be proud of it when it comes out.”
Wahlberg, a Boston native, has filmed in Central Massachusetts before. Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, John Lithgow, Mel Gibson and John Cena filmed scenes from “Daddy’s Home 2” in May 2017 at the old Old Timer Restaurant in Clinton.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Mark Wahlberg coming to Shrewsbury to film ‘Weekend Warriors’ scenes
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