Rising early helps busy Mark Wahlberg shine

As the sun rises across the desert floor, Mark Wahlberg is already awake. He watches day break in Summerlin as he eases into his healthy routine.

“I go to a quiet room, close the door and start the day this way: pray, meditate, exercise,” the 52-year-old actor says. “I do all the things I need to allow me to tackle the rest of the day.

“I do this in the early morning before anyone wakes up in my house,” adds the married father of four kids, ages 13 to 20. “You need to find your routine that sets forth the best day possible. And believe me, what I do helps me raise teenagers. You can’t wait and do it all later. Give yourself a little time before the day intervenes and focus a bit on you.”

The rest of his days are jam-packed between acting, filming, producing and starring in films such as his new action comedy “The Family Plan,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

Wahlberg portrays a former government assassin named Dan (really Sean) with a wife (Michelle Monaghan), a teenage daughter and son and a 10-month-old baby. He hasn’t exactly told any of them about his bullet-ridden past, but that changes suddenly when enemies from his past track him down. The family embarks on an impromptu cross-country road trip that leads to a reckoning in Vegas.

“It was wonderful to wake up in my own bed, do my morning routine and drive myself to work,” Wahlberg says in a recent interview in Los Angeles. “It was a way to work and live in my new city, which I really love.”

His good life tips:

Change is good

Wahlberg says that “shaking up your life” is a good thing. His family’s relocation to Vegas in the fall of 2022 was one of those major life changes. “I moved to L.A. years ago to work but only made four or five movies there,” the Boston native says. “The truth is, I had been pursuing my interests, and it was important to put my kids’ interests first, which is why I moved to Vegas. … There is no place like Vegas. Wide-open spaces. Great schools. Great lifestyle. I wanted to give the kids the opportunity to pursue their interests, which fit with Vegas, too.

“Change is good for the most part. It’s good to do something spontaneous. It leads to bright, new possibilities.”

Find your community

What does he embrace when it comes to his new life as a Nevadan? “Vegas is really a small town,” Wahlberg says. “I was welcomed into the community with open arms. People don’t understand life in Vegas. The Strip is great, but there are so many wonderful communities. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people quickly. I’ve made friends.

“Plus, I love that Vegas is more chill. I’m a chill guy. Very rarely these days am I not in a T-shirt, jeans or shorts and sneakers. I live on the golf course. You can’t get any better than that.”

Ditch the devices

There is a scene in “The Family Plan” in which Wahlberg’s character gets so fed up with his teens being constantly on their phones that he throws all of their devices out his minivan window. Does the dad in him identify? “Well, for the sake of the great phone manufacturers … in all due respect,” he jokes. “I do think it is every parent’s dream to get rid of the phones once and for all. I’m always taking phones away and using that as a threat to get people to behave!”

Share your best advice

What can he tell others about raising teens? “Good luck,” Wahlberg says with a warm laugh. “Honestly, my kids are great. I think the only advice I can give is just be involved in your kids’ lives. Show up. And hopefully, they trust you enough to confide in you and share things with you. Otherwise, just be there when they need you. That’s most of it.”

Keep holiday traditions

Wahlberg plans to spend his holidays at home. “Christmas to me is just getting together with the family and having fun while trying to prevent altercations,” he chuckles. “You know, it’s the usual stuff. It’s already quite festive in my house. My wife has all the decorations up, plus we do holiday game nights and holiday movie nights. I can’t wait for my daughter to come home from college soon. We might even do a holiday trip.”

Rediscover your loved ones

In this busy world, Wahlberg looks for ways to reconnect with his loved ones. That includes first screening “The Family Plan” in their Summerlin living room. “It wasn’t planned. I was watching a rough cut at home. I meant to do it by myself and found myself surrounded by the entire family. That’s what I want for this film … for families to come together, laugh and relate. … It’s important in life to constantly work at reconnecting, and that way, you can keep rediscovering each other.”