Mark Wahlberg rarely experiences regret, but a recent visit to his daughter’s college campus left him reflecting on what could have been. In an interview with the “Today” show, Wahlberg shared that he and his wife, Rhea Durham, recently traveled to South Carolina to spend their parents’ weekend with their daughter, Ella Rae.
During their visit, Wahlberg couldn’t help but notice Ella’s happiness and thriving at college, which stirred unexpected emotions. He remarked, “She’s just so happy there. She’s really thriving. We just went to parents’ weekend, you know, with the sorority girls and the frat house. It was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I definitely felt like I never really had too many regrets about not going to college until I saw [this].”
Mark Wahlberg and Rhea are parents to Ella and three younger children: Michael, 17, Brendan, 15, and Grace, 13. They recently made a significant move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and according to Wahlberg, the transition has been a positive one for the family.
Mark Wahlberg (Credits: @markwahlberg/Instagram)
“Everybody’s adapted nicely. The kids are all out at school, and everybody’s happy,” Wahlberg shared with People magazine. The family relocated to Sin City in the past year, and Wahlberg even sold his initial Las Vegas home for a reported $16.6 million.
The actor made it clear that his goal in making this decision was to give his kids more opportunities. He said, “It’s really giving the kids a chance to thrive. It just has the best of both worlds. I know a lot of people, when they think Las Vegas, they think the Strip. But just about 15, 20 minutes away, there’s a whole lot of other amazing areas that are all about family and community.”
Wahlberg listed his lavish Beverly Hills home for $87.5 million in 2022 and bought a residence in the prestigious Summit Club in Summerlin, close to Las Vegas. The goal of this calculated action was to give his kids the chance to follow their passions and aspirations.
Mark Wahlberg (Credits: @markwahlberg/Instagram)
He emphasized the benefits of living in Nevada, which has lower living costs than California and has no income tax. He said that some of his employees who moved to Vegas with him noticed a significant rise in their quality of life.
The kids are really happy, and it’s all about them, Wahlberg said of his time in California, “As you know, it’s been difficult. We’re constantly looking for fresh chances and exciting new experiences. Here, I want to open up a lot of opportunities. And I initially moved to California so I could start making movies. In the past 15 years, I’ve produced three films in Los Angeles.
Overall, Mark Wahlberg’s decision to move his family to Las Vegas has been driven by a desire to provide a better lifestyle and more opportunities for his children, and it seems to be paying off for the Wahlberg family.
