2013-01-16 17:23:15 -

MARK WAHLBERG has spent years trying to "out-do" fellow Massachusetts native BEN AFFLECK, but is now desperate to work with him after the actor proved himself behind the camera.
The Fighter star, who is from Boston, Massachusetts, admits he has always

felt competitive with Affleck and his longtime friend Matt Damon, who both grew up in the nearby city of Cambridge.
However, after seeing Affleck's recent success as a director with acclaimed thriller Argo, which has won seven nominations at the upcoming Academy Awards, Wahlberg wants to join forces with his longtime rival.
He tells the Boston Herald, "I don't throw the compliments around when it comes to other Boston guys. I'll be the first to admit that the three of us are all very competitive; we want to out-do each other.
"But I am very impressed by his (Affleck's) abilities behind the camera. I am a fan and he's proven himself to be a force of nature. He's got the goods and I want to work with him."