Mark Wahlberg received a rude awakening when he was sent the movie proposal for his new project with Justin Bieber - because The Fighter star assumed he would be playing the younger character.
The Hollywood star, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday (05Jun11), admits he automatically began reeling off a string of potential co-stars to portray the "old guy" in the forthcoming Paramount Pictures film - until he realised studio bosses wanted him to appear as the father figure.
Tron: Legacy actor Garrett Hedlund was initially considered as Wahlberg's younger co-star, until teen pop sensation Bieber was put forward for the role.
He tells MTV News, "I get this call from Paramount (where they tell me about the story about) an old guy and a young guy. I'm like, 'Cool, let's get Jack (Nicholson). Let's get Robert De Niro. Let's get Robert Duvall.' And they go, 'What about Garrett Hedlund?' I'm like, 'For what?' They're like, 'For the young guy.'"