He’s an entrepreneur, actor with some clout and a former pop star (rapper seems an exaggeration) in search of pardons for his rough and violent and criminal teen years.

The last item will be old news by the time my profile of Mark Wahlberg runs, so we’ll talk more about gambling and his role in the remake of “The Gambler,” his most challenging acting role ever. As in the James Caan original, Wahlberg plays a college professor, a one-time novelist, addicted to gambling until he’s broke. Winning is OK, but it’s the losing — inevitable — that seems to get Jim Bennett’s motor running.

We’ve talked before. I remember catching Wahlberg on the golf course  to talk about “Invincible.” Funny, “Hang on, lemme make this putt, here.”

Anyway, he’s got lots of projects in the pipeline, big fat “Transformers” cash to spend.

Questions for Mark Wahlberg? Comment below, and thanks for the suggestions.