A rumor surfaced in early September 2024 that actor Mark Wahlberg had turned down a starring role in a $2 billion Disney movie, citing the company’s “wokeness.”

For example, the Facebook page SpaceX Fanclub posted the claim in meme form (archived) on Sept. 8.

A pinned comment under the Facebook post shared a link to an article on Esspots.com (archived), which stated:

In a shocking and self-assured move, Hollywood superstar Mark Wahlberg has turned down a $2 billion offer from Disney to star in its latest blockbuster project, citing a staunch refusal to be associated with the company’s growing “wokeness.”

“I’m done. No chance I’ll work with them again. I don’t need that wokeness in my life,” Wahlberg allegedly told sources close to the project during a heated phone call, reportedly slamming down his protein shake for added emphasis. The move sent shockwaves throughout the entertainment industry, sparking conversations from gym locker rooms to corporate boardrooms about whether Wahlberg’s rejection was a principled stand or the latest chapter in Hollywood’s ongoing cultural divide.

Disney’s $2 billion project, rumored to be a cross between The Avengers and Frozen, was set to feature Wahlberg in the lead role as a morally conflicted snowplow driver who uncovers his true superpowers while battling an army of eco-conscious yet misunderstood polar bears. According to insiders, the film was expected to break new ground in the Disney cinematic universe, weaving together climate change, corporate responsibility, and a heartfelt subplot about inclusive snowman communities.

Variations of the rumor spread on X and Threads. One Sept. 9 X post (archived), which translated the claim into Spanish, had amassed more than 639,000 views as of this writing.

Some social media users seemed to interpret the rumor as a factual recounting of real-life events. For example, one reply to the Spanish-language X post, translated into English, read: “Full support, if there were more brave actors like him, they would change the world.” Similarly, a comment on the SpaceX Fanclub Facebook post read, simply: “GOOD.”

However, there was no credible evidence Wahlberg had ever made a public statement using the phrasing in the meme. A Google search for the terms “Mark Wahlberg” and “No chance I’ll work with them again” returned only reposts of the meme. Likewise, a search for the terms “Mark Wahlberg,” “Disney,” and “2 billion” found no reputable media coverage stating that Wahlberg had ever been in talks to star in a Disney film with this budget.

Rather, the rumor about Wahlberg turning down a $2 billion Disney project originated with SpaceX Fanclub and Esspots.com — a website that described its output as being humorous or satirical in nature. Its About page (archived) stated:

Welcome to the US page of Esspots (A Subsidiary of SpaceXMania.com specializing in Satire and Parody News), your one-stop destination for satirical news and commentary about the United States of America. Our team of writers and editors is dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in fake news and absurdity, all with a healthy dose of humor and satire.

The meme shared on SpaceX Fanclub and other social media accounts included similar disclaimers, which we highlighted in the image embedded below. A badge in the upper left corner of the meme, surrounded in a yellow box below, read: “RATED SATIRE.” Text in the upper right corner, surrounded in a red box, read:

Esspots.com and its associated SpaceX Fanclub Facebook page, both of which are part of the SpaceXMania network of websites and social media accounts, have a history of making up stories for shares and comments, many of which Snopes has covered in the past.

Snopes has previously addressed similar satirical claims about actors turning down high-budget Disney projects, including the assertion that Sylvester Stallone rejected a $500 million “woke” movie offer and a rumor that Denzel Washington declined a $50 million project, saying the company was “just too woke.”

For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources that call their output humorous or satirical.