Mark Wahlberg on transforming from criminal to Hollywood dad

"Transformers: Age of Extinction" could dominate the box office again this holiday weekend. It's already the highest-grossing movie of the year, bringing in more than $300 million worldwide in its debut this past weekend.

Part of its success may be due to its starring actor, Mark Wahlberg, who teamed up with Michael Bay once again for this film.

"I had worked with Michel Bay on 'Pain and Gain.' We had a blast," Wahlberg told CBS News. "He asked me if I wanted to be a part of it. I said absolutely. The only thing that I was concerned about, because a movie of this size, normally the character stuff kind of gets bogged down.

Luckily, Wahlberg's character in "Transformers: Age of Extinction" isn't just an action figure. He's also a father figure.

"He's an ordinary guy forced to do extraordinary things just to keep his daughter alive," Wahlberg said. "And people can certainly identify with that and root for him."

Wahlberg is a proud father of four in real life, and he may be even more protective than the father he plays on screen.

"I don't plan on ever letting my daughters date," Wahlberg said. "I'm going to try to do everything I can to prevent it. You know, it just terrifies me. It just terrifies me."

Maybe that's because Wahlberg remembers what he was like as a teenage boy. Long before he was a father, and even long before he was a rapper/model, he was a high-school dropout and a criminal. At age 16, he assaulted a man on the street and spent time in jail.

"I have a lot of real life experience that I can draw on," Wahlberg said. "And I think that shows in the characters that I play because I'm always trying to find somebody -- or find characters to play that I can identify with on a personal level or relate to. And I think it makes for a little bit more of an honest portrayal."

It also makes for a memorable resume. Porn star Dirk Diggler, washed-up boxer Mickey Ward, and of course, an undercover cop with an overflowing mouth. Wahlberg is currently working on nearly a dozen productions, like next year's "The Gambler," a role for which he had to lose 60 pounds.

"Jumping rope every day for about two hours, and I was on a liquid diet for, like six weeks," Wahlberg said. "You know, just diet and exercise. But Michael-- I remember seeing him at his house. And it was the last day of shooting with 'The Gambler.' He was like, 'What happened to you, dude? You look like crap. You know, fix this.'"

But that wasn't a problem, because if Wahlberg has proven anything, it's that he's the master of reinvention. A once troubled kid who is now one of Hollywood's favorite dads.

"Once I got a second chance, I was never going to do anything to mess it up. And I, you know, I feel so fortunate to do what I do," Wahlberg said. "It's only right that I give it my all and I respect what I do and the people that I work with... People are taking chances on me. I make sure that I deliver."