Donnie Wahlberg, the star of Blue Bloods, has had an unusual career but one that has earned him a significant net worth. A member of the large Wahlberg family and the eighth of nine children, Donnie Wahlberg had an interesting route to fame. Formerly best known as the lead of New Kids on the Block, Wahlberg performed with the boy band until 1994. When they broke up, he followed his younger brother Mark’s footsteps into acting. His first notable role came in the 1996 Tupac Shakur Bullet, which led to a string of smaller roles.
In 1999, Donnie Wahlberg appeared in The Sixth Sense as Vincent Grey, which revealed a hidden range. While his career has never been quite as big as Mark’s, key parts in Band of Brothers and the Saw franchise, as well as a leading role in Blue Bloods as Danny Reagan, have all combined for an impressive career. Wahlberg married Kimberly Fey in 1999 and had two children with her, Xavier and Elijah, before they divorced in 2008. In 2013, Wahlberg met Jenny McCarthy and the two quickly married in 2014 (via People).
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Donnie Wahlberg has a net worth of $25 million. NKOTB would have been a big moneymaker for Wahlberg, with the band having sold more than 70,000,000 records over its lifetime (via The Columbus Dispatch). Most of his income has likely come from Blue Bloods, which he starred in for 14 seasons. Reportedly, in early seasons, Wahlberg was paid $60,000 per episode, while in later seasons, he was paid $150,000 per episode. With 293 appearances in the series, that salary is likely a significant portion of his net worth.
Donnie and Mark also partnered with their older brother Paul Wahlberg to found “Wahlburgers”, a restaurant that specializes in burgers. The franchise continues to open locations and this is likely a consistent source of income for Donnie as one of the investors (via GreaterLongIsland).
Donnie Wahlberg is 5′ 10″ on IMDb and Celebrity Heights, which puts him about two inches taller than his younger brother. He was born on August 17, 1969, making him 55 in the fall of 2024. As an August 17 baby, Wahlberg is a Leo, a fire sign.
Leo signs possess an innate confidence and flair for the dramatic, both characteristics Wahlberg exemplifies as a film and TV star, as well as the lead of a boy band. Their lives revolve around creative pursuits, and they have an entrepreneurial spirit, like, for instance, someone who is both a prolific actor and has helped found a burger chain.
Known as the “bad boy” of NKOTB, Wahlberg and bandmate Danny Wood were partying at a hotel on March 27, 1991, amid New Kids on the Block’s success, when Wahlberg doused a hallway carpet with vodka and set it alight (via Washington Examiner). Allegedly, the fire was set in retaliation after someone in the hotel complained about the noise.
Donnie Wahlberg was charged with first-degree arson and faced 20 years in prison. However, the charge was reduced to misdemeanor criminal mischief, which was then dismissed after Wahlberg agreed to make public service videos on fire safety, drug abuse, and drunken driving.
