Mark Wahlberg is a lover, not a fighter.
While visiting The Ellen Show on Thursday, Feb. 17, the Uncharted actor revealed that he has nothing but love and support for his 18-year-old daughter Ella Rae's current relationship.
When Ellen DeGeneres asked if Ella's boyfriend was at all intimidated by her famous father, Mark quickly shot down the suggestion.
"I think he's more scared of my daughter than he is of me. I pray for him more than I pray for her in that relationship," the 50-year-old actor jokingly replied. "They're perfect for each other and he couldn't be any sweeter."
As a parent, Mark shared that he "realized early on" that dating would just be an "inevitable" part of reality as his four children—Ella, Michael, 15, Brendan, 13, and Grace, 12—all continue to grow up.
So, instead of dreading the thought, the actor focused on what matters most in a relationship, saying he was OK with his daughter dating "as long as it's somebody who's nice and treats her well, and somebody that I can trust and respect."
He shared that he and Ella's boyfriend have a "great relationship" with one another, and, as he put it, "He's fantastic. I hope she can keep him."
In fact, Ella's boyfriend is so close to the family that he even joined them on their holiday trip while Mark stayed at home sick after catching COVID-19 just before Christmas.
"He went on the holiday!" Mark exclaimed. "So now he's like the man of the house. I'm stuck and I'm like, ‘Wait a second here, this guy slid right in and I'm out!'"
However, once he felt better, the actor revealed that he and Ella's BF got to spend some quality time and even hit the gym together, although he was adamant that their workout "wasn't a test" in the slightest.
"All my friends were like, ‘Good idea. Keep him close,'" Mark said, seemingly referencing a comment left on his Instagram post by pal Mario Lopez. "He's such a sweet guy. He just wanted to work out. He has lots of interests that we have in common, so I'm just trying to help him where I can."