Donnie Wahlberg Shares Emotional Faith Journey and Connecting With Jesus: ‘I’m Broken’

Donnie Wahlberg has opened his life up to religion after experiencing a dark period.

The actor and New Kids on the Block singer, 56, spoke about a difficult period in his life when, despite his fame, he felt unfulfilled in his career.

Appearing on The George Janko Show podcast on April 22, the Blue Bloods alum said: “People in this industry are broken. I’m realizing in this last year. I’m broken, too.”

Going onto praise his wife, Jenny McCarthy he said they pray together and he needed her help to fully commit to his faith and get more clarity.

Wahlberg reached a point where he says he felt “empty” and that he was “missing something” in his life and so he made some changes.

He said: “I sat down my wife one morning … I said, ‘I have to connect with Jesus. I have to give my life to Him now.’ And she was like, ‘Of course.’”

“My wife is perfect. I couldn’t ask for anything more from her. And I’m still lonely,” he added. “And it’s Jesus. It’s Him. It’s me letting Him in all the way. Like, being renewed in Him and fully surrendering. I couldn’t do it. And I thought I was.”

Wahlberg is not the only member of his family who looks to god for guidance and fulfilment.

His brother Mark Wahlberg appeared on Good Morning America in 2024 to mark Ash Wednesday. At the time he said: “I credit all of my personal, professional success, everything good that’s happened in my life, I kind of credit to my faith, so that’s where it kind of starts for me.”