Blake Shelton pays US$40,000 for his 1st movie role

BLAKE Shelton is set to share the screen with Mark Wahlberg in an upcoming film after making the winning bid during a live auction at the Keep Memory Alive's 27th Annual Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas last Friday.

According to People magazine, the 47-year-old country singer — who was honoured at the event for his philanthropic work — joked on stage later in the evening: “I don't know if you guys saw the auction earlier.

“This is maybe the last time I'm ever gonna perform country music.

“I'm a movie star now. I'm not kidding.”

But despite his apparent career change, Blake went on to perform ‘Sweet Caroline', ‘Ole Red' and ‘Sangria' before inviting his wife and “secret weapon”Gwen Stefani on stage to sing ‘Nobody But You' with him.

The No Doubt frontwoman had paid a touching tribute to her spouse earlier in the evening.

She said: “His heart is as big as his voice. His talent is obvious and he lights up the room and brings a smile to everyone he meets that makes us all love him so much. So whether he's supporting an important cause and organisations across the country, he's an incredible person.

“He supports veterans. He supports children's hospitals, food banks, supports people with disabilities, disaster relief efforts, wildlife conservation or local communities in need, Blake's generosity is genuine and endless. His dedication to giving back and making a difference and using his platform for good, both publicly and behind the scenes is truly inspiring.”