Mark Wahlberg apologizes for 9/11 comments
Executive producer of the HBO series 'Entourage' Mark Wahlberg takes part in a panel discussion about the show during the HBO session at the 2011 Summer Television Critics Association Cable Press Tour in Beverly Hills, California July 28, 2011 Reuters

Actor Mark Wahlberg apologized on Wednesday for saying events may have turned out differently had he been on one of the planes that crashed on 9/11, after incurring the wrath of critics and one victim's widow.

If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry,' the actor said in an interview with Men's Journal magazine that was released one day earlier.

The Fighter star, 44, was scheduled to be on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011 and made the comments in that context, but after media outlets reported that a widow of one 9/11 victim called his comments disrespectful, the actor issued a formal apology.

To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention, Wahlberg said in a statement.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who started his career in music as rapper Marky Mark, transitioned into film and is currently promoting Contraband, a high-octane action movie in which he plays a former smuggler forced to protect his brother-in-law.