The New Kids on the Block star lost 43 pounds to play Vincent Grey in The Sixth Sense

Donnie Wahlberg delighted fans with a 25-year throwback photo – and he looks unrecognizable!

The Blue Bloods star took to Instagram with a snap from M. Night Shyamalan’s 1999 film, The Sixth Sense, in which Donnie played disturbed mental patient Vincent Grey.

Alongside a snap from the Oscar-nominated film, which shows a shirtless Vincent in distress, Donnie penned in the caption: “#Throwbackthursday How in the world is this movie, The Sixth Sense, over 25 years old now?!?! Wow! I will never really understand how I got that part, but it was most definitely the start! #thankful.”

Fans were astonished by the photo, with many commenting on how different Donnie appears. One fan wrote: “You got us good with that one! Many of us had no idea that was you! Amazing performance! Damn! It’s 25 years old? Ooofff!”

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A second follower commented: “I didn’t know it was you until the credits! You nailed that role!” while a third added: “I was in disbelief when I saw your name at the end of the movie… I sat there and rewatched it to see you!”

While he’s only in the film for ten minutes, Donnie was widely praised for his performance.

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Reflecting on the role back in 2019, Donnie revealed that he lost 43 pounds in five weeks to play Vincent. “I remember Night saying, ‘This scene really has to kickstart the movie,’ he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I tried not to think about that burden and that responsibility and just try to honor the script and stay in tune with what I needed to play this part. I thought if I was in that room standing across from Bruce Willis and Olivia Williams and haven’t suffered and really gone through some really dramatic situations before I do this scene, how am I going to bare my clothes, never mind bare my soul? So that’s just where I went.”

He also revealed that he was eager to play the scene in the nude. “I pitched it to Bruce [Willis], and he was like, ‘That’s amazing, let’s tell Night,'” Donnie recalled. “I told Night and he was like, ‘OK, great.’ I immediately began the process of starving myself.”

After The Sixth Sense, Donnie landed a slew of major film roles, including as Detective Eric Matthews in the Saw sequel and two further films, and as Chollo in Bullfighter. 

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He also played the role of Carwood Lipton in the World War Two series, Band of Brothers.

Donnie’s most notable role, however, is perhaps as Danny Reagan in the hit police drama, Blue Bloods, which is currently airing its 14th and final season.

Donnie, who stars alongside Tom Selleck and Bridget Moynahan in the CBS drama, shared a heartfelt message on the last day of filming back in June.

“Not sure I have the words to describe how I feel about today, or the last 14 years on this special Blue Bloods journey, but I do know how incredibly thankful I am for every moment of it,” penned the New Kids on the Block singer.

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“To the cast, the crew, the guest cast, every background actor, writer, producer and every member of every single dept — thank you,” he continued, before going on to thank the people of New York and the NYPD.

He concluded: “Lastly, to my fans, and the fans of this show. We don’t make it 14 days (nevermind 14 years) without you! Your love and support for this show has been one of the great blessings of my life. Thank you.”