Mark Wahlberg’s Deadpan Lie Detector Answer Has the Internet Asking If He’s a Real Spy

Back in 2018, while promoting his movie Mile 22 (23% on Rotten Tomatoes), Mark Wahlberg appeared in Vanity Fair’s iconic Lie Detector Test series. In the film, Wahlberg plays James Silva, an elite CIA operative, so it only makes sense that he was asked a few mock security questions to go along with the theme.

When asked if he was an agent, Wahlberg gave a deadpan delivery about having “affiliates.” It was clearly meant as a joke, with the examiner even laughing off the remark and calling it a “good one.”

Why the Mark Wahlberg Spy Theory Is Going Viral Again

Since late October, clips of the interview have resurfaced on social media — with comment sections exploding with obscure theories and wild speculations. But why are people drawing these extreme conclusions?

•       His straight-faced delivery makes him appear rather serious. But let’s remember he is an actor.

•       The follow-up question asked if he’d ever been involved in espionage. Wahlberg said no, but the polygraph examiner responded with, “Feeling a little uncertain there, my friend?” as he registered a spike.

•       In some of the reposted clips, the context of the interview is missing and conspiracy-theorist accounts share the video alongside their own hot takes.

•       Some posts also pull in the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, and Wahlberg’s well-known 9/11 near-miss (he has said he was booked on American Airlines Flight 11 but flew out a week earlier), though no evidence links either to real-life spy work.

Mark Wahlberg’s Spy Movie Roles, From Shooter to Mile 22

And his résumé may not be helping his cause either. Wahlberg has a long history of playing spy-like characters. There’s the former Marine sniper in Shooter (2007), the car salesman with a background in assassination in The Family Plan (2023), and of course the CIA operative in Mile 22 (2018)…to name just a few.

Is Mark Wahlberg Really a Spy? What We Know

While Wahlberg may have picked up a bit more about espionage than the average person, there’s no proof he’s ever had any spy experience beyond Hollywood sets. Let’s all keep in mind that the viral clip is a promotional bit from 2018 and that drawing parallels to current world events may simply be adding to the nonsense the internet has dreamed up.

Where to Watch Mile 22

Want to judge for yourself? Mile 22 (2018) is available to rent or buy digitally on Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube and Fandango at Home.