Mark Ruffalo: A Tale of Two Halves

“That’s my secret Cap, I’m always angry”. Perhaps one of the most iconic lines in Marvel history, Mark Ruffalo has truly brought the character of Hulk to life. The transition between scientist Bruce Banner and the big green beast is unlike any other in the franchise, and many can agree that Ruffalo was the best man for the job. To reach that point in his career, Ruffalo not only dealt with the struggle of breaking into the industry but health complications as well. His story is inspiring to people everywhere that they can truly pursue their goals if they want it bad enough.

 

At age 18, Mark Ruffalo moved to Los Angeles to study the performing arts at the Stella Adler Conservatory. After spending a couple of years there, he decided to stay in L.A. and pursue his goal of becoming an actor. Ruffalo spent the 1990s amassing roles in indie movies, beginning with A Gift From Heaven (1994). Working mostly in comedies, Ruffalo appeared in The Last Big Thing (1996) and alongside comic character actor stalwarts Steve Zahn and Paul Giamatti in Safe Men (1998). However, this skill was not the only one he picked up while in school. Having that passion for writing, Ruffalo tried screenwriting as well. This was done for Ride With the Devil in 1999 and more notably The Destiny of Marty Fine in 1996. Ruffalo’s career was beginning to pick up in both areas and he seemed on track for a long, successful career.

 

In May of 2001, Ruffalo’s life took a massive turn. He had a vivid dream that he had a brain tumor. The dream terrified him so much, he contacted his doctor who ordered an MRI to put the actor at ease. Shocking the entire staff, test results proved he had a golf ball size mass behind his left ear. Forced to drop out of the Joaquin Phoenix role in M. Night Shyamalan’s summer hit Signs (2002), Ruffalo had surgery and spent months rehabilitating from the procedure. The doctors told him he had an 80% chance of losing his hearing and a 20% chance of losing his facial nerve. He battled paralysis of his facial nerves for ten months.  It was during this time that Ruffalo and his wife were expecting their first child. He decided to tell very few people about the diagnosis to place all focus on the birth of their child. 

 

After his recovery, Ruffalo’s career really took off. He was cast as Chuck Aule in Martin Scorsese’s thriller Shutter Island. The actor then took over the role of the Hulk in The Avengers from Edward Norton. The actor’s salary for The Avengers (2012) was approximately $2 million. Staying in the MCU for other blockbuster films, Ruffalo was estimated to have a $30 million dollar net worth at the end of 2019. Yet despite is wealth and current success, Mark Ruffalo is dedicated to impacting the community. Along with supporting organizations such as Alzheimer’s Associaton and Planned Parenthood, Ruffalo is very into renewable energy. He is an advocate and founder of Water Defense and is also on the Board of Directors for The Solutions Project, which accelerates the transition to 100% clean, renewable energy for all people and purposes. As someone who has gone through the worst, his drive to uplift the community is truly inspiring.