Mark Wahlberg Says He Became a Producer to 'Create My Own Destiny' in Hollywood

"I was always proactive in finding material — things that I could produce and knew were right for me," the actor said

Mark Wahlberg is revealing how he made a name for himself in Hollywood.

In an on-camera interview, The Fighter star sat down with Marvin R. Shaken for Cigar Aficionado, discussing the role of actor vs. producer and how he really started producing projects "out of necessity."

"The reason why I started producing is I didn't want to sit around waiting for Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, or whoever was already, you know, established before me and were the guys at the time — and Leo [DiCaprio], right — to go and pass on a movie, until I could get my hands on it," said Wahlberg, who graces the latest cover of the men's lifestyle magazine, out Sept. 26.

"So I was always proactive in finding material — things that I could produce and knew were right for me. Create my own destiny."

Wahlberg has over 40 producing credits to his name, including a lot of films he also starred in, like Father Stu, Instant Family and Deepwater Horizon.

He went on to explain that once your name is over the title of a film, "you reap the rewards of the success, but you also bear the brunt of the failure."

"If I'm going to be in that position, then I'd rather be behind the wheel," he added. "[If] you're going a hundred miles an hour down a highway, do you want to be in the backseat or do you want to be behind the wheel?"

Related: Mark Wahlberg Says He Moved from L.A. to Nevada to Give His Kids a 'Better Life': It Made 'Sense for Us'

Plus, having more creative control gives him more time with his family. In October, Wahlberg called into The Talk, expressing how much he loves being at home.

"Every free moment that I have, I'm at home," said Wahlberg, who is married to Rhea Durham, with whom he shares daughters Grace, 13, and Ella, 20, plus sons Brendan, 14, and Michael, 17.

The former Calvin Klein model also revealed that he and his family moved to Nevada and is hoping to "get a bill passed so we can get tax credits for the state, build a state-of-the-art studio here and make this Hollywood 2.0."

"I want to be able to work from home," he said.

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Wahlberg said he and Durham, 44, came to Nevada to "give ourselves a new look, a fresh start for the kids, and there's lots of opportunity here."

Added Wahlberg, "I'm really excited about the future."

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