Just one day before shooting was scheduled to begin for the drama “The Lovely Bones,” director Peter Jackson made a surprising replacement on the lead actor.

In this sense Mark Wahlberg took the place of Ryan Gosling. The movie is the adaptation of the best-seller with the same name written by Alice Sebold. It is the story of a father that suffers from his daughter’s being raped and murdered.

Gosling, nominated for an Academy Award this year as best actor for his work in “Half Nelson,” reportedly gained 20 pounds and grew a beard for his role as the grieving father in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the novel for DreamWorks.

Speculations have begun to appear however, with some wondering whether Gosling was actually fired. It was first said that the 26-year-old actor quit the movie over “creative differences,” despite the beard he had grown and the pounds he had gained, which would suggest a deep commitment to the project.

New reports suggest that Peter Jackson found Gosling “too demanding” or even that he completely disliked the young actor. Then again, why would Jackson hire someone he doesn’t like?

Luckily enough for everyone else involved in the making of “The Lovely Bones,” while Gosling made his exit Friday, Mark Wahlberg signed to replace him Sunday, after reading the script, Variety previously reported.

Wahlberg joins Academy Award nominated actress Rachel Weisz, who plays the grieving mother. He himself was nominated this year for an Academy Award for best supporting actor due to his portrayal of a police detective in Martin Scorsese's critically acclaimed thriller, “The Departed.”

Shooting reportedly began Sunday in Pennsylvania, making “The Lovely Bones” the first collaboration between Wahlberg and Jackson. Jackson wrote the script with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

Could this be true that Peter fired Gosling two days before the shooting? Until we have a confirmation of such reports, this will remain just a juicy rumor that leaves place to countless speculations about what really happened between the director and the actor.