News > Wahlberg Steps in to Replace Gosling on Lovely Bones

Written by David Morgan

In a move that seems to have come out of nowhere, Ryan Gosling is no longer playing the role of Jack Salmon in Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones. He will be replaced by Mark Wahlberg. Variety reports that the change came about only one day before shooting was supposed to begin in Pennsylvania (where Wahlberg just wrapped M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening).

The contested character is the grieving father of a young girl who has been murdered. Rachel Weisz will play Wahlberg's wife, and the mother of the dead girl. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Alice Sebold, and was adapted for the screen by Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens.

Gosling reportedly left the production over (the classic excuse) creative differences. The harshest part, Gosling had gained twenty pounds and grown a beard just for the role. I guess Wahlberg could do all that in a day. Truthfully though, while Gosling is arguably a better actor, Wahlberg and Weisz seem like a more likely couple especially since they're about the same age while Gosling is nearly ten years younger.