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He was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor (more specifically, an acoustic neuroma) in 2002; he subsequently had it removed and is in good health.

Bartended for nearly a decade while trying to break into show business.

In an interview with Moviemaker magazine, he claims to have made 800 auditions in his lifetime before succeeding.

Was close friends with Heath Ledger. He is also friends with Gael García Bernal.

He was set to appear in Signs (2002) but had to drop out when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. His role in Signs (2002) went to Joaquin Phoenix. The brain tumor Mark was diagnosed with was found to be benign. Following brain surgery, he has fully recovered after suffering from a partial facial paralysis.

With indies, all they have is their script and it's very important to them. The characters are better drawn, the stories more precise and the experience greater than with studio films where sometimes they fill in the script as they're shooting.

For some reason, my whole life has been, 'You can't do this, you can't do that.' The other day I was watching these kids crossing the road, and they have these crossing guards, kids who help other kids across the road. They would never let me be a crossing guard when I was a little kid . It would come up, I'd always raise my hand, I would never get picked . They thought I was too wild, but I knew I was responsible enough, if I was given that task.

The true value of somebody in this town [Hollywood] is very hard to determine. It's all smoke and mirrors.

The whole experience of getting close to mortality changed my perspective on work. I wasn't enjoying acting before: I felt like I wasn't in charge of my career. I wasn't doing things that made me feel good. I was really bitter, I thought I deserved more, and I wasn't grateful for all the great shit that had happened to me. If you're not grateful, then it's very easy to be an asshole. After the brain tumor happened, I realized I love acting, I've always loved it, I may never get a chance to do it again.

Certainly, it's very easy to fall in love with cash. If you're going to make all your decisions based on cash, you're going to have a pretty naffy career.