Mark Wahlberg is opening up about asking the Massachusetts parole board for a pardon from his felony assault conviction in 1988 in an effort to clear his record and his name.
The Gambler star left his criminal past behind him over two decades ago and has since worked hard to show young teens what not to do.
As we previously reported, he’s asking for the pardon so he can become a reserve LAPD officer, to continue making a difference.
He told the Daily News on Wednesday, "Whether it happens or not, it won't change how hard I've worked at becoming a better person."
Wahlberg, who has been open about his troubles as a youth growing up in the Boston area, continued, "This is not something I just decided to do overnight, two years later, well I'm a big celebrity so I should feel like I can do whatever I want.”
“I've worked really hard to be a better person and to be a good influence on kids growing up in situations like mine,” he said.
He’s been active in giving back, citing charities like the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club.
Wahlberg said it’s been 27 years since he “woke up sober and realized the horrible mistakes I had made and the horrible pain I had caused so many people.”
image courtesy of Peter West/ACE/INFphoto.com