Wahlberg: ‘Flight Risk’ free of strike concerns

When he’s not making a scene for a film, Mark Wahlberg makes a scene at the club.

On Thursday night, the A-list actor and entrepreneur was again creating commotion behind a bar in Las Vegas.

Juliet Cocktail Bar at The Venetian was the scene. Engulfed by VIPs and invited media, Wahlberg poured shots of his Flecha Azul tequila. The grand opening of the new nightspot. The venue has taken over the Dorsey (which it resembles) and before that the ’80s-themed Bourbon Room (which it does not resemble).

Wahlberg has just wrapped the action-thriller “Flight Risk,” directed by Mel Gibson. The two filmed in Mesquite for a couple of days in July. Most of the shooting was on-location in Alaska.

Wahlberg said the movie has since wrapped. Filming was done in the face of an ongoing actors and writers strike. Wahlberg said he and Gibson were able to complete the work because the project was granted a waiver as an independent production.

“Luckily, we were able to finish. We only had two days before the film was complete, before the strike started, but we had a waiver to finish because we are an independent film,” Wahlberg said.

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing most actors and performers, has permitted several independent projects to continue filming during the strike.

During the shutdown, the union typically doen’t allow actors and performers from acting and promoting movies in any way that may be released while the strike is ongoing. They also cannot attend auditions or rehearsals, or take part in any activity in the film-making process.

But some actors and other professionals in SAG-AFTRA have been given the approval to continue working without violating any of the strike’s rules. “Flight Risk” is in that group. In the film, an air marshal is transporting a fugitive across the Alaska wilderness in a small plane. The fugitive is trapped when he thinks the pilot is not who he says he is.

According to the Mesquite Local News, four firefighters, Robert Ceja, Cody Cannon, Vincente Pinto and Logan Aug from Mesquite Fire and Rescue took part in the filming.

“It turned out great,” Wahlberg said. “This is the second movie in Vegas now.”

That’s a reference to Wahlberg moving to Las Vegas in August. As a local resident, the former Marky Mark has also filmed the action-comedy “The Family Plan” in Las Vegas. He has said he wants that film to premiere in Las Vegas, around the holidays.

This is an effort to create the blueprint for his studio operations to move to Southern Nevada, creating — by his estimation — 10,000 jobs in the state.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.