Octavia Spencer credits this Hollywood A-lister for inspiring her to get healthier for ‘Ma’ role

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Actress Octavia Spencer credits Mark Wahlberg for helping her get in better shape for her latest role in the psychological horror, Ma, in theaters now.

Spencer and Wahlberg reportedly bonded while working together on the 2018 comedy Instant Family, so she leaned on the former rapper/model for tips on how to properly tone up for the horror hit, EXTRA reports.

Wahlberg previously revealed that his exercise regimen involves waking up at 4:00 a.m. daily for hardcore workouts as he is a dedicated student of bodybuilding.

READ MORE: WATCH: Octavia Spencer is bone-chilling in trailer for new thriller ‘Ma’

“Instead of hanging out on the corner [as a teen], I’d go to the gym,” Wahlberg told Men’s Health during a 2010 interview. “The gym was in the exact opposite direction from the trouble.”

Spencer confirmed that she has indeed “done those early-morning workouts with him.”

“I’m not as fit as I need to be… and having a friendship with Mark Wahlberg definitely helps,” the Oscar-winning performer told EXTRA. “He sent me these amazing supplements that I take religiously, and I try to get 30 minutes of cardio in every day… I gotta get better, guys — I’m not there!”

Since its May 31 release, Ma has earned nearly 20 million at the domestic box office against a $5 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.

In the flick, Spencer plays a lonely woman named Sue Ann who befriends a group of mostly white teens by letting them party at her house before they meet a grisly demise.

READ MORE: ‘Come with me and be immortal’: Horror classic ‘Candyman’ to be brought back to life by Jordan Peele

“Black people always die within the first 15 minutes of a horror movie, and not only do I not die, I get to kill everybody, so it was like, ‘Ha-ha, how can I turn this down?!’,” she told  

Spencer noted this character allowed her to take on a role that was “very different” to the women she has previously played.

“You only live once, so it’s all about taking risks,” she said.

via GIPHY