From Six-Pack to 7,000 Calories a Day: Mark Wahlberg's 'Father Stu' Transformation Had Netizens Comparing Him to David Spade – Photos

The actor's preparation for "Father Stu" required a major physical change, and his progress quickly got people talking. Photos documenting his transformation are waiting for readers at the end of the article.

Mark Wahlberg has been no stranger to changing his physique for a movie role, but his preparation for "Father Stu" took him in a different direction. Rather than shedding weight and sharpening his already defined frame, the Hollywood star set out to gain 30 pounds in just six weeks.

The physical change was for the Sony Pictures film, in which Wahlberg played Stuart Long, a boxer who became a Catholic priest. His preparation for the role made headlines in 2021 after he shared before-and-after photos on Instagram showing how much his appearance had changed in only three weeks.

"From left photo 3 weeks ago to this, now," Wahlberg captioned the post. "Thanks to @chef_lawrence_d cooking." In the first photo, the actor stood shirtless and displayed defined abs and a muscular upper body.

Consuming thousands of calories each day presented its own challenge, even with the food divided across multiple sittings.

The second showed him lying shirtless in bed with a noticeably fuller midsection and face. The contrast reflected an unusual goal for a star known for his rigorous fitness routine.

During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," Wahlberg discussed his plan to put on 30 pounds and joked about beginning the process with a "20-piece chicken nugget and 20-piece hot wings from Kentucky Fried Chicken with a six-pack of beer."

However, his personal chef, Lawrence Duran, later explained that the actual approach was far more controlled. He shared that the then-49-year-old actor was consuming "eight meals a day at about 7,000 calories" as he prepared for "Father Stu."

Duran stressed that he was "definitely not loading him [Wahlberg] up on junk" and noted that the process also involved medical and nutritional oversight. According to the chef, a team monitored the actor's health and adjusted his diet based on his body's needs. He said:

"We meet with a team of doctors who do his bloodwork and a nutritionist who gives us a full breakdown of what his body needs, what his body's lacking, and basically come up with a meal plan accordingly. We go to a specialist every two weeks to see where we're at and adjust things."

Consuming thousands of calories each day presented its own challenge, even with the food divided across multiple sittings. Duran said Wahlberg ate approximately every three hours, with meals built around carbohydrates, vegetables, and different sources of protein.

Eggs were another major part of the plan, with the actor eating at least a dozen per day. His schedule began particularly early as well. The chef revealed that the first meal typically arrived at around three a.m. and consisted of four eggs before Wahlberg worked out.

After training, usually between five and six a.m., the actor ate eight more eggs, six strips of bacon, a cup of rice, two tablespoons of olive oil, and a protein shake designed to support his weight and muscle gain.

This one typically featured ground beef or turkey prepared as a hamburger patty or meatloaf, accompanied by another cup of rice.

About three hours after that, Duran served half a roasted chicken alongside rice, cooked spinach, and cooked beets. The food continued throughout the day, as the personal chef continued:

"Three hours after that, we'll go into either a veal chop or a pork chop — I'll do about eight ounces of that and then a small, four-ounce piece of salmon with another cup of rice, olive oil, and beets as well."

Another meal paired eight ounces of steak with eight ounces of white fish, such as sea bass or halibut, along with plenty of vegetables. Even bedtime did not signal the end of the eating schedule.

Duran prepared what he called a "mash," made from one cup of cooked steel-cut oatmeal, two tablespoons each of applesauce, jam or jelly, and almond butter, plus one tablespoon of molasses. The actor ate it immediately before sleeping as another way to support his weight gain overnight.

The results became visible within weeks, and while the side-by-side images documented the progress required for the role, they also prompted an unexpected theme in the comments — several people thought his appearance in the second photo resembled comedian and actor David Spade.

Spade became widely known through "Saturday Night Live" and later appeared in comedies including "Tommy Boy" and the sitcom "Just Shoot Me!"

"Kinda look like David spade here god bless 😂 [sic]," one person said. Another shared, "I thought this guy on the right was David Spade for a min🤣🤣."

The comparison did not end there. "Both pics are handsome, but I thought the pic on the right was David Spade," a third netizen commented, while another typed, "Why does he look like David Spade in the last pic 😂😂."

Beyond the Spade comparisons, the change in Wahlberg's face also drew attention. "Your face looks better lol," one person said.

What appeared in the Instagram post was the product of an unusually demanding preparation process: eight meals, about 7,000 calories each day, regular medical monitoring, and a carefully planned menu designed to help the actor reach the weight required for "Father Stu."

Just three weeks separated the two looks Mark Wahlberg shared, giving followers an early glimpse of how dramatically the role was changing his physique. The photos documenting that transformation can be found below.

Mark Wahlberg's Transformation

David Spade