MARK WAHLBERG is glad filmmaker ANG LEE passed over him when he cast BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, because the Oscar nominee was "a little creeped out" at the prospect of having to play a gay cowboy.
The DEPARTED star reveals he and pal JOAQUIN PHOENIX were originally considered for the roles of ENNIS DEL MAR and JACK TWIST in the 2005 film - but both felt uncomfortable about sex act scenes in a tent.
Wahlberg explains, "I met with Ang Lee on that movie, I read 15 pages of the script and got a little creeped out. It was very graphic, descriptive - the spitting on the hand, getting ready to do the thing.
"I told Ang Lee, 'I like you, you're a talented guy, if you want to talk about it more...' Thankfully, he didn't." The parts eventually went to JAKE GYLLENHAAL and HEATH LEDGER and, though Wahlberg feels it's a film he must see, he has yet to watch Brokeback Mountain.
He adds, "I didn't rush to see Brokeback, it's just not my deal... Obviously, it was done in taste - look how it was received."