Summary

• Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon's characters in Fear were 23 and 16 years old, resulting in an uncomfortable age gap.
• In real life, Wahlberg is five years older than Witherspoon.
• Fear helped launch Wahlberg's film career, leading to opportunities like his role in Boogie Nights.

Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon starred in Fear at the beginning of their careers, and the movie revolves around a significant age gap between their characters, while the two actors share an age difference in real life. The 1996 psychological thriller film, directed by James Foley and written by Christopher Crowe, tells the story of Witherspoon's character, Nicole Walker, a high school student who comes from a wealthy family and begins dating an older man named David McCall, played by Wahlberg, much to her father's dismay. However, the situation complicates even more when David begins showing a dark side to him.

Aside from Wahlberg and Witherspoon, the cast of Fear includes a few other famous stars, like William Petersen as Steven Walker, Alyssa Milano as Margo Masse, and Amy Brenneman as Laura Walker. Following its premiere in April 1996, Fear received negative reviews from critics, but it became a sleeper hit upon its release and has since achieved status as a cult film. It's still not among Witherspoon's best movies, though, especially since some criticize the psychological thriller's controversial story, including the uncomfortable age gap between the two main characters.

Mark Wahlberg Was 23 Years Old When Filming Fear

Wahlberg's character is also 23 years old in Fear

David McCall is depicted as a 23-year-old preying on a teenager in Fear, and his portrayer, Mark Wahlberg, was also 23 while filming the psychological thriller. Although James Foley's movie premiered in April 1996, the cast and crew shot all the scenes almost a couple of years earlier, in 1994. Wahlberg was born on June 5, 1971, meaning the actor was 23 years old while on the set of Fear.

Wahlberg and Witherspoon were rumored to be dating in the mid-1990s, but neither has confirmed nor denied these reports.

Fear helped launch Wahlberg's film career following his successful run as a member of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, a hip-hop group, in the early 1990s. The 1996 psychological thriller was Wahlberg's first starring role, and his involvement in the movie led to him gaining more opportunities in the film industry, including the actor's memorable role as Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights in 1997. Since then, Wahlberg has appeared in a plethora of noteworthy movies but has yet to play another full-on villainous character like David in Fear.

Reese Witherspoon Was 18 Years Old When Filming Fear

Witherspoon's character is 16 years old in Fear

Reese Witherspoon starred as Nicole Walker, a 16-year-old high school student in Fear. Meanwhile, the actress was only a couple of years older than her character, as Witherspoon was 18 while filming the psychological thriller. Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976, meaning she had only recently become a legal adult when she began shooting Fear in 1994. Additionally, the actress was five years younger than Wahlberg, unlike their characters' seven-year age difference.

Like Wahlberg, playing Nicole in the 1996 movie was one of Witherspoon's first major starring roles and helped cement her status as a teen idol. However, the actress' breakthrough came when Witherspoon starred in Cruel Intentions alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar. Fear is often a forgotten entry in Witherspoon's filmography, but it undoubtedly led to her becoming one of the most famous stars in Hollywood.

Fear, starring Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon, is available to stream on Netflix.