Watch: Mark Wahlberg's surprise video call with Scottish brothers attempting Pacific Ocean rowing record

Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg has thrown his support behind three Scottish brothers attempting a world-record-breaking row across the Pacific Ocean - and has offered to play one of them in a film.

The American actor - the star of The Departed, Planet of the Apes and The Italian Job - surprised the trio with a video call, saying their adventure had left him "inspired".

Eldest brother Ewan Maclean, said receiving a video call from Mark Wahlberg was “bloody surreal” | Submitted

In the video call with Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan Maclean, Wahlberg praised their mission to row 9,000 miles non-stop and unsupported from Lima, Peru, to Sydney, Australia, raising funds for clean water projects in Madagascar.

"I'm so inspired by you guys," Wahlberg told the brothers, who are now 54 days into their row. "You're badasses doing something no one else would even think of.

(Left-right) Jamie, Lachlan and Ewan Maclean, three Scottish brothers aiming to become the fastest people to row across the Pacific, have received a surprise video call from Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg, who told them their record-breaking bid "could be a movie". Picture: The Maclean Brothers/PA Wire | PA

"This could be a movie. The best films I've done are based on true stories - ordinary people doing extraordinary things. No way I'd row an ocean, but I'd play one of you guys in a movie."

As they battle salt sores, relentless weather, a broken watermaker,and a faulty autohelm - with more than 5,000 miles still to go to reach Sydney, and more than £900,000 left to raise towards their £1 million target - the brothers said the call with one of their heroes was a welcome and "surreal" boost.

READ MORE: Three Edinburgh brothers set off to break Pacific Ocean rowing record with help of oats, haggis and curry

Wahlberg connected with the brothers over faith, family and resilience, and pledged to help raise awareness for their mission.

The Perfect Storm star, who is the youngest of nine siblings, shared his own experience of life at sea. On hearing the brothers had a tuna on the line, Wahlberg recalled nights spent sleeping on a tuna boat with squid as a pillow while filming for the true story he starred in alongside George Clooney.

"When I was preparing to do The Perfect Storm, I went out on a sword boat - in Ocean City, Maryland, a longliner, and we were actually fishing,” Wahlberg recalled.

"We caught some pretty big tuna - 500, 600 pounder. I don't know how you guys are gonna wrestle that thing onto that boat, man."

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Wahlberg on going to the ‘next level’

Wahlberg added: "What you guys are doing is next level. You're living out a sense of purpose - combining passion with impact. That's rare and it's humbling to watch. People need to hear about what you're doing.

"I couldn't be more inspired by the grit, the determination, the resiliency. What you guys are doing for such an amazing cause, and how hard you're willing to sacrifice yourself and your own wellbeing for the good of others, is so inspiring.

"For you guys to do this under your own free will - it's pretty crazy. Some would say we might need to give you a couple of psychological examinations."

The actor, who owns restaurants in Sydney and the Gold Coast, also promised the brothers a meal at the finish line - a welcome reward after about four months of freeze-dried meals.

The record-breaking mission

The Macleans expect to spend more than 100 days on board their 28-foot carbon fibre boat, Rose Emily, named in memory of their late sister. With no engine, no sail and no support crew, the siblings row in two-hour shifts, surviving on freeze-dried meals and desalinated water.

"It's been much harder than we expected," said Ewan Maclean, 33, who left his job as a Dyson engineer to help design and build the boat.

"But today we had dolphins surfing near the boat, and that lifted our spirits - and then we hear we get to speak to Mark Wahlberg, so spirits are absolutely through the roof.”

Lachlan, who will turn 28 next week and is the youngest of the trio, added: "We're all operating in such little sleep that we thought it all could have been a hallucination."

The brothers, who previously set three world records rowing the Atlantic in 2020, are rowing for The Maclean Foundation, their charity supporting clean water projects in Madagascar.