If you’ve spent any time watching big-budget action flicks or following Hollywood A-listers, you know Mark Wahlberg. He’s the guy who went from "Marky Mark" to an Oscar-nominated powerhouse. But while his career is an open book of blockbusters and fitness supplements, people are constantly searching for details on his home life. Specifically, people want to know: how many times has mark wahlberg been married?
The answer is actually simpler than you might expect for a guy who has been in the spotlight for over three decades.
One Marriage, One Woman
Mark Wahlberg has only been married one time.
Honestly, in a town where multiple divorces are basically a rite of passage, Mark is a bit of an anomaly. He’s been with the same woman, model Rhea Durham, for what feels like forever. They didn't just jump into a wedding, though. They took the "long road" approach, building a massive family and a life together way before they ever walked down an aisle.
They met back in 2001 in New York City. Mark was doing a press junket—one of those grueling days where actors sit in a hotel room for eight hours answering the same questions—and he met Rhea. He asked her out. She said yes. Their first date? A service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Seriously. Nothing screams "I'm looking for something real" like starting your relationship in a church.
The Long Engagement (Sorta)
Even though they met in 2001 and started their family almost immediately, they didn’t get married for another eight years.
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By the time they actually tied the knot on August 1, 2009, they already had three kids. Most people would have felt the pressure to "legalize" it much sooner, but they seemed content. Mark has often said in interviews that he wasn't ready to be the man he needed to be until he met Rhea. He credits her with helping him turn into a "family man."
The wedding itself was super private. It happened at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills. No massive media circus, just their kids and close family.
Who is Rhea Durham?
You can't talk about Mark’s marriage without talking about the woman who basically grounded him. Rhea was a huge deal in the fashion world long before she became Mrs. Wahlberg.
- Modeling Career: She was a Victoria’s Secret model and appeared on the covers of Vogue and ELLE.
- The Transition: She mostly stepped away from the high-fashion runway life to focus on her kids, though she did launch a handbag line called Ella Grace (named after her daughters) a few years back.
- Conversion: Interestingly, Rhea converted to Catholicism before they married, which was a big deal for Mark, who is famously open about his daily prayer routine and faith.
The Wahlberg Kids: A Full House
A huge reason why this marriage has lasted—and why Mark is so obsessed with his home life—is their four children. They’ve got a literal squad.
- Ella Rae (born 2003): The oldest. She’s often the one Mark talks about when he’s joking about being a "protective dad."
- Michael (born 2006): Named after Mark’s father.
- Brendan (born 2008): Their third child, born just a year before the wedding.
- Grace Margaret (born 2010): The youngest, who is currently making a name for herself as an equestrian.
Mark has gone on record saying that his "mission in life" is to raise these kids right. He’s the guy who wakes up at 2:30 AM to pray and workout, but he’s also the guy who is usually home in time to help with homework or attend a sporting event.
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Why People Think There Were Others
So, why the confusion? Why do people think he’s been married more than once?
It probably stems from the fact that Mark had some high-profile relationships in the 90s. When you’re a young heartthrob with your face on a Calvin Klein billboard, people assume you’re constantly getting hitched.
He dated China Chow for about four years after they met on the set of The Big Hit in 1998. They were a "it" couple for a minute, but they never married. He was also linked to folks like Traci Bingham and Jordana Brewster way back in the day. Because he’s been famous for so long, his dating history gets conflated with his marital history.
But if you’re looking for a divorce settlement or a "first wife," you won’t find one. Rhea is the first and only.
Hollywood’s "Boring" Couple
In a weird way, Mark and Rhea have become one of the "boring" couples of Hollywood—and I mean that as a total compliment. You don’t see them in the tabloids for cheating scandals or public blowouts.
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They celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary in August 2025. That’s nearly two decades of marriage and 24 years of being together. In "celebrity years," that’s basically a century.
Actionable Insights: Lessons from the Wahlberg Marriage
If you're looking at Mark’s track record and wondering how he’s managed to keep it together while other stars fall apart, there are a few things he’s been very vocal about:
- Priority Shift: He didn't get married until he felt he could be a good husband. He worked on himself first.
- Shared Values: Both are deeply religious and prioritize their faith as the "glue" of their home.
- Date Nights: Even with four kids and a billion-dollar career, they still do a "date night" every Thursday.
- Boundaries: Mark has admitted that doing romantic scenes in movies is "weird" for his wife, so he tries to be respectful of those boundaries.
Basically, Mark Wahlberg is a one-woman man. Despite the rumors or the long dating history of his youth, he’s only ever said "I do" to Rhea Durham.
If you’re tracking celebrity relationships, the key takeaway here is that longevity is possible even in the spotlight—as long as you're willing to put in the work and maybe wake up at 4 AM to get your head right before the kids wake up.
To stay truly informed on the Wahlberg clan, you can follow Rhea’s Instagram, where she’s much more likely to post "real life" family photos than Mark is on his gym-heavy feed. Watching their kids grow up into athletes and students shows that despite the fame, they’re just a regular (albeit very rich) family trying to make it work.