02x04 - Alma Always

[bunniefuu]

- Mark interview take one.
Mark?

- [sighs]

[indistinct chatter]

Oh, man.

- Yeah, go ahead.
You were right.

[somber music]

♪ ♪

- It's tough, but it's...

it was inevitable.
I know.

I've been lucky
to live long enough,

and it's just, uh...
part of the deal.

And it's just tough.

- I Facetimed with her.

I had to come back to work...

sh**t "Stu"
and the rest of it...

So there wasn't much choice.

♪ ♪

There wasn't much choice.

[spray can clicking]

[paint can hissing]

♪ ♪

[car honks distantly]

[moody music]

♪ ♪

[background chatter]

- Good.

- Quiet on the set, please.
- Rolling.

- When Mark told me

that his mother had passed away
the night before...

Cut for a second.
- All right.

- You know, I asked him

if he was up for
working that day

and, um--and he said yes.

It just so happened
that we were filming

two sort of comedic scenes
that day,

which made me nervous,
because I thought,

"Gosh, what a tall order
to ask somebody to be funny

"on, um--on a day
when you're dealing

with one of the most tragic
things in your life."

[crewman, indistinct]

- Hey, I hit it big,
I'll take you with me

all the way to the top.

- Payment's due Monday.

- Don't sell yourself short,
baby.

[taps twice]

- In hindsight,
maybe that was a blessing

because to try
to sh**t something

deeply feeling and-and
emotional instead

may have just opened
the floodgates

in a way that would have been
unbearable for him.

- Oh, sh*t.

Hollywood, baby.
Hollywood! [chuckles]

God damn,
we went Hollywood, kid.

Oh, sh*t.
We made it.

- Action, camera.

- Camera rolling.

- People, I think, look at him
as being superhuman

with the number of businesses
he has

and how many projects
he's able to take on,

and, you know,
so many responsibilities.

Back to one?
- Okay.

And we're cutting back to one.

- But the thing
that impresses me the most

about him is he has
incredible mental strength

and fortitude to be able
to perform and carry on

with what had just happened.

- Hello, everybody.
- Uh-oh.

- I'm so happy to meet you.
- Happy to meet you too.

- I love all your shows.
- Oh, thank you.

- Well, this is where I live
and Kathy lives upstairs.

- Thank you
for the hospitality.

- I can't wait to see
your film.

- It--this is a good one.
God bless you.

- I just--you know,
I'm a big fan.

- Thank you.
Nice to meet you.

- Bye.

♪ ♪

[plane engine whistling]

♪ ♪

- The older you get...

The more loss
you experience...

If you're lucky enough to...

just stick around
a long time.

♪ ♪

You know?

- Did Mark and my mom have
a special relationship?

Absolutely. He was the baby.

That's just the way it is.

It made her so proud
to say that

"He calls me every day
from wherever he is."

Was he her favorite?
I don't know.

We'll debate that forever.

- Who's your favorite?
- You are.

You are my favorite.

- Am I your favorite son, yet?

- Yes.
- Finally.

- Oh, come on!
- You know, there was

this whole big joke--
Mom's favorite.

And everybody would say,
"I'm Mom's favorite."

I mean, she had
this really special way

of making sure that you knew

that it was you.

You were her favorite.

♪ ♪

- Growing up as humbly

as she did and we did,

you know, that's something
that-that she was proud of.

- Growing up in Boston,
we grew up in a tough area.

You know, we didn't have
a lot.

It was nine of us living in
a three-bedroom apartment.

Two to a bed.

There was a unity,
if you will, right?

And-and it was a unity

that we were tied together
by poverty.

- Well, my dad and mom
had to work a lot

to get us what it seemed like

everybody else had
pretty easily.

- My mother worked overnight.

She'd get home, I don't--

she wouldn't even see
my father.

He's already be gone to work.

- I've eaten plenty
of mayonnaise sandwiches.

"Builds character.
You'll be fine."

- I think we were raised
to just be good people, right?

That's what my mother
would always say.

I didn't matter to her
how much we made.

You know, if you're successful
and you're a young guy,

you're thinking, "Oh,
I'm gonna get a Ferrari."

Right? And-and my mother
would always sort of ground you

and be like,
"Okay, but-but what--

but what are you gonna do
with it," right?

Like, you have
this opportunity now

to make a difference
in the world.

- I worked on "Wahlburgers"
for, like, seven seasons.

You really saw
where the light and spirit,

the kindness
that the Wahlbergs have,

was in Alma.

And I think that "Wahlburgers"
gave her the opportunity

to be in the spotlight.

- I was walking
through the airport

in Boston, and I walked by
Wahlburgers,

and there she was on every TV.

It was great
because I knew that...

Sort of the world
got to know her a little bit

and how awesome she was.

- The show allowed her
to feel special

because she was special.

It was everything to her.

- Bye, Alma.
- Yay.

- I never anticipated
that we'd have

a true friendship.

Um...

♪ ♪

- It's tough.

I recently lost my father
a couple years ago.

He was on his way to see me.

When you lose
someone you love...

It's tough.

And you just have
to keep going.

Um...

It's tough.

- The most important thing
to my mother--

she was so happy and grateful

that we all sort of found
our way.

- When she was happy,
we were happy.

You were convinced that
what you were dealing with

was gonna be okay.

[clears throat]

♪ ♪

- The motorcycle scene is
really the turning point

in Stu's journey.

It's in the wake of that
that he has

this very profound
spiritual experience.

It was important to me
to sh**t it in a way

that made it clear
that Mark was

in fact riding the motorcycle.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

The big challenge of directing
the motorcycle accident was

I knew that we had one take
to get it right

because it was--
there was a high, uh, risk

associated with that stunt.

We had this amazing stuntman,
JJ.

But I only wanted
to do it once.

I know the stunt guy only
wanted to do it once.

We were hoping we could
ace it and move on.

- Good.

- Okay, here we go.

All right.
Everybody tuck in!

And three, two, one, go.

[motorcycle engine rumbling]

- Okay, cut.
- You okay?

You all right?

- Certainly something happened.

That looked awful,
[chuckles]

but he said it was
exhilarating and he was fine.

- Yeah, baby. Great job.

[moody music]

♪ ♪

- Yeah. That's really nice.
- Yeah, I think so too.

- I love that.

The whole course of

the principle photography,

all of his hair,
it was all his own.

But he had shaved off
all of his facial hair.

So we had to use
a fake mustache and a wig.

[chuckles]

- Can't even talk like this.

- [chuckles]

- I think we have wasted
all of our time coming here.

- Um, honestly, the--

the mustache is just too bushy.

- It's all too bushy.
- [chuckles]

- But how--let's-let's just
not sh**t too close today

and then just try to have them
trim it tomorrow.

- Yeah.
- 'Cause it's just ridiculous.

It's like f*cking Yosemite Sam.

[growls] Rrr!

- Poor guy, I know he didn't
feel real comfortable.

And we're supposed to sh**t
in, like, five minutes.

- Just slating and then we go?
- Yeah.

- I don't feel very...
inspired right now.

- Action.

- He had had a hoodie on.

And so we just put the hood on

so you couldn't really see
the wig.

And we found a way
to make it work.

[indistinct]
- All right.

- Who gives a f*ck?

- [chuckles]
- Better start walking.

- What?

- Come on, just-just
get me the f*ck

out of this thing.
- Yeah.

- Unfortunately,
grief is a living thing

that will visit at will.

I booked myself crazy.

I-I remember doing
about 300 shows

the year my mother died,

and it waited
for me to stop working.

But all I was doing
was prolonging the inevitable.

It totally catches up
with you.

- [sighs]

- You have to let it come
as it comes.

[moody music]

♪ ♪

[indistinct chatter]

- One of the last scenes
we filmed,

it was really challenging.

♪ ♪

I could tell the moment
Mark walked out of his trailer

that something
was not quite right.

So I took him aside
and asked him if he was okay.

And-and he said yes.

- The loss of my mom
a week before--

I couldn't really deal
with it.

So I really kind of kept it
all bottled up inside.

- Apple-1-2-2-Charlie,
take one.

- It was like one take.

Just roll the cameras,
and let's go.

And it just started to hit me.

And all the things
that I was trying to suppress,

they started becoming
very real.

Why?

[yelling] Why?
[sniffles]

I wanna know why.

I wanna know--
I wanna know now.

Why?

Why have you forsaken me
here, now?

[weeping]

[sniffles]

What do you got me doing here
like this on my--[sniffles]

on my own?

[whispering indistinctly]
...with me.

[sniffles]

- Mark is somebody who feels
a lot of things very deeply

and doesn't try to shut
those feelings off

but makes those a source
of empowerment.

- [weeps]

- That is his brilliance
as an actor.

- [sniffles, sighs]

Why did you bring me here?

- I just let him go
until I knew

that I had more than enough.

- Yeah.
- Cut.

- Just being able to call her.

Talk to her.

[sighs] Well, I talked to her
every day until I couldn't.

- Her phone was
always ringing.

And it was always
one of her kids.

I think everybody
in my family,

we take for granted

that that phone
is gonna get picked up.

And that person

that is the most important
person in the world to you

that's just always been there
for your entire life

is gonna be on the other end
of the phone.

- [sighs]

- I think everybody
in my family

is missing that the most.

- What do I miss about my mom?

Yeah, I mean,
what's not to miss about her?

She's just--you know,
she was larger than life.

- [clears throat]

- Uh, I just--I miss
everything about her.

Yeah.
I miss everything about her.

- People have asked me, like,

"If you could have a meal
anywhere, what would it be?"

And it's very simply a-a-a dish
that my mom or dad made

because I can't get
that anymore.

And...

That's that thing--
that-that feeling of home.

You know, you wish
they could make another meal.

- It hurts. It's hard.
[sighs]

It just becomes, uh,
unavoidable after a while.

You just gotta kind of deal
with it, you know?

It's, uh--it's just--
again,

it's just being
on this side of--

this side of life.

♪ ♪

[background chatter]

[birds chirping]

♪ ♪

- Chef's doing this.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, Chef-y.

- [chuckles]
- Mm-hmm.

- Whoa h* h*!
[background chatter]

- Thank you, brother.
Looks perfect.

- Blessings, amen.
Thank you for the bite.

- Amen.

- One good thing
within this time

is that we've been able
to really spend

quality time together.

Um, and these sort of things
can either,

uh, push you apart
or make you stronger

and-and bring you
closer together.

How good is that steak?

- Really good.

- Mm?
- Good.

- Dealing
with so many losses--

my mother passed away,
David Stern passed away,

then, you know,
Kobe and Gianna.

[sighs] You know, um...

you-you lose a piece
of yourself

that forever changes you
and how you look at things

and the comfort that you find
in the familiar

and bringing people together.

Coming together
in times of grief is

what humanity is all about.

- [indistinct] the whiskey?
- Yep.

Look at him, dog. Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Calling you medium rare.
- [chuckles]

Well done.
[chuckles]

[soft music]

♪ ♪

- Whoa.

- Ooh.
- All right.

You got that, Brendan.

- Oh, you catch it?
- On the catch, you got 'em.

- Good catch.

You're frozen
on the outside corner.

- I'm sorry [murmurs].
- Aw. Love you.

- I love you too.

- [indistinct]

[emotional music]

- The year that I lost my dad,
strangely,

while it was probably the most
painful year of my life,

it was also the year
that I grew the most

in my life.

And it gave me
almost the strength

to have this internal fire
inside me

where I felt a sense of
responsibility and conviction

to live up to the expectations
of our loved ones.

- I promised my dad
when he died

that I'd make him proud of me,
because his vision--

in his life he didn't have
enough time to manifest it.

And so I'm-I'm completing
that cycle for him, right?

He would be proud
of this moment.

- [grunting]

- They want you to carry on.

They want you to-to be
your best.

- Show him your will.

Show him your will.
- I got it.

- You hear me?
- I got it.

[chuckles]

I love this sh*t, man.

This is what I do.
[grunts]

- Let's go, let's go.

♪ ♪

[indistinct chatter]

- And action.

- The last scene we shot,
when Mel is watching Stu

wheel up to the care center
and disappear in there--

so it's the last moment
between those two characters--

um, gosh, I got really--

I got--I got teary-eyed
watching that.

There was something so...
so beautiful and understated

about the exchange
and the moment.

- Cut.

- That's cut.

- And that is a picture wrap,

and "Father Stu" is done.

[applause]

- Whoo-hoo.

- It's the end of, uh...
the end of the run,

and I was kind of emotional.

- I've made 50 some odd movies,

and I've never seen
as many people care

and involved and working
for the same cause.

And, uh, you know, this movie
is certainly special to me.

And it's all about love.

I really appreciate
everybody's work.

I felt that
from every single person here.

I really appreciate
all you guys.

Thank you. God bless you.

I bless you all.
[applause]

Stu's journey and finally
finding his purpose,

and then how well he handled
with grace and dignity

all that he faced
and all the adversity--

it kind of helps put things
in perspective,

that's for sure.

[indistinct chatter]
- Why can't we use the bus?

♪ ♪

- If we don't capitalize
on it now,

we're gonna miss out
on opportunities.

Momentum is everything.

Lot of moving parts, too,
by the way.

But, you know,
let's get it going.

♪ ♪

I still got the same attitude.

I'm more hungry now
than I've ever been.

♪ ♪

[chuckling]

- They have you scheduled,
like, every waking minute.

- Yeah.
- He's gonna be just nonstop.

- No, no, no. Well, listen,
we've been doing it

every city
that we've gone to.

- Well, I just don't want
my people to k*ll you.

- No, no, no.
- 'Cause they--

- It's just part
of what we're doing.

- It's the whole chain.
- Yeah.

- Um...wow.
- Great.

- I haven't been
in a restaurant

since my mom passed.

- Wow.

♪ ♪

- Mama, I love you.
We miss you.

[kisses]
Muah.

♪ ♪

Yeah.

I know.

She's certainly the reason
why all this happened.

All the good in our lives is

from all the hard work
that she put in.

Yeah. Yeah. Ma.

All right. How are you, sir?
Good to see you, brother.

Appreciate your hard work.

- What's up, buddy?
- Hi.

- How are you?
- Good, how are you?

Nice to see you.
- Nice to see you.

- So we're gonna go
to the Grimes store

in front
of the Wahlburgers kiosk.

There's a prompter,
so it should go real quick.

- And I'm at Wahlburgers,

and I'm looking
at these sliders.

And this burger...
and oh, my gosh,

can you say hi?
- Hey.

- Who is your favorite
Optimus Prime or Bumblebee?

- Bumblebee.
- I know them both very well.

Thank you guys.
- Thank you so much.

- I appreciate it.
It's a pleasure.

- All right. Everybody smiling?

[heavy, emotional chords]

♪ ♪

[stirring music]

♪ ♪