When Jack Nicholson Put Mark Wahlberg in His Place on the Set of The Departed

Mark Wahlberg has built a career on bold choices — both on and off the screen. From his early days as a rapper and Calvin Klein model to acclaimed turns in Boogie Nights, The Basketball Diaries, and The Departed, he’s never been afraid to push boundaries. But during the making of Martin Scorsese’s 2006 Boston crime masterpiece, Wahlberg learned firsthand that even in Hollywood, there are limits — and Jack Nicholson was the one to make that clear.

The Scene That Went Too Far

In The Departed, Wahlberg played Sergeant Dignam, a foul-mouthed, quick-tempered state police officer whose barbed insults were as sharp as his investigative instincts. Known for his improvisational streak, Wahlberg often added unscripted jabs to his dialogue — something Scorsese generally encouraged to keep the energy raw and unpredictable.

But in one scene opposite Nicholson, Wahlberg decided to improvise a series of particularly harsh insults aimed at the legendary actor’s character. “I was improvising throughout the movie and my character, obviously, didn’t have nice things to say to anybody,” Wahlberg recalled. “So, I said some unpleasantries to Jack and he gave me a look that nobody else gave me.”

That look, Wahlberg soon realized, wasn’t just Nicholson staying in character — it was a warning.

Scorsese Steps In

Rather than dial it back, Wahlberg pushed ahead with another off-the-cuff insult. This time, Scorsese stepped in. “Marty, you know, I did one more, and then they both had a little chat and then they said, ‘Make sure that that’s the end of that,’” Wahlberg said.

It was a subtle but firm message: improvisation was welcome, but respect for your scene partner — especially when that partner is Jack Nicholson — was non-negotiable.

A Risk Worth Taking?

The exchange didn’t cause any lasting tension between the actors. Wahlberg has since made it clear that he and Nicholson remain on excellent terms, and the moment has become one of those behind-the-scenes stories that fans love to hear about during press tours.

For Wahlberg, it was a reminder of the fine line actors walk when taking creative risks. “Sometimes you have to cross a line to find out where it is,” he said — and in this case, that line was drawn by two of the greatest names in cinema.

The Departed, which earned Scorsese his long-awaited Best Director Oscar, remains one of the most rewatchable crime dramas of the 21st century — in no small part thanks to the combustible chemistry between its cast. And if Wahlberg learned a little about restraint from Nicholson along the way, it only added to the authenticity of his explosive performance.