Mark Wahlberg Reportedly Demanded a $900,000 ‘Anne Hathaway Clause’ to Star in ‘Silver Linings Playbook’

It’s hard to imagine that the unforgettable on-screen connection between Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook, including their iconic dance sequence, was almost derailed.

The main roles in the comedy-drama were first offered to Anne Hathaway and Mark Wahlberg, who were set to play Tiffany and Pat, respectively. But after Hathaway dropped out of the project, director David O. Russell cast Cooper instead of his good friend, Wahlberg, who reportedly wanted a special clause in the event that Hathaway backed out.

Mark Wahlberg insisted on a $900,000 ‘Anne Hathaway clause’ for ‘Silver Linings Playbook’

Early in their careers, Mark Wahlberg and David O. Russell formed a lasting partnership, working together on numerous projects. Russell gave Wahlberg early acting roles, and in turn, Wahlberg brought Russell on board for The Fighter, a critically acclaimed film that propelled both of their careers.

But when it came to Silver Linings Playbook, their friendship completely fell apart. After Russell picked Cooper to play the lead over Wahlberg, they reportedly experienced a major fallout. 

According to Business Insider, the main reason Wahlberg got the boot was because of a contract demand. The actor apparently asked for a $900,000 pay bump in the event that Anne Hathaway walked away. 

Hathaway, of course, ended up leaving the project, but her departure didn’t matter in the end. Russell had already cast Cooper to play opposite Hathaway, which meant he didn’t have to pay out close to a million dollars to Wahlberg. 

Anne Hathaway backed out of the project anyway

While Russell seemingly dodged a bullet by casting Cooper over Wahlberg, things didn’t work out with Hathaway. In a 2014 interview with Howard Stern, disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein revealed Hathaway’s departure from Silver Linings Playbook was primarily due to disagreements with Russell over creative direction.

According to E! Online, Weinstein did not go into too many details about the creative differences between Hathaway and Russell. He did, however, admit that the actor was his top choice for the part. 

“Anne wasn’t doing it,” Weinstein stated. “And you know, she’s marvelous and wonderful, and she was my choice. I love her.”

Although Russell and Weinstein wanted Hathaway to headline the film, everything worked out for the parties involved. Hathaway went on to play a lead role in Les Misérables, for which she took home an Academy Award. 

Silver Linings Playbook, meanwhile, went on to enjoy plenty of success with Jennifer Lawrence starring opposite Cooper. In fact, Lawrence earned an Oscar for her part in the rom-com. 

Mark Wahlberg was actually too busy to star in ‘Silver Linings Playbook’

Aside from the whole “Anne Hathaway clause,” there is another reported reason why Wahlberg backed out of Silver Linings Playbook. At the time of production, Wahlberg had committed to starring in Albert Hughes’ film Broken City. 

The two projects were set to film at the same time, which, of course, meant Wahlberg had to drop one. Despite his close friendship with Russell, the actor apparently decided to stick with Broken City over Silver Linings Playbook.

Early in their careers, Wahlberg and Russell worked on three major projects together, including Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, and The Fighter.