Biography of Mark Ruffalo
Hollywood star Mark Ruffalo claims that he is lucky, because he has everything that one can dream of. One of the first movie roles brought this bright actor wild popularity. True, before getting it, Mark had to go through more than 800 auditions!
Pictured: Mark Ruffalo
early years
Mark Alan Ruffalo was born on November 22, 1967. His homeland is the picturesque town of Kenosha, formed in the middle of the 19th century by Italian emigrants. Probably, among them were the ancestors of Mark, in whose blood Italian blood flows. It is to his roots that the actor owes his bright appearance, wild curls and hot temper.
Mark Ruffalo in childhood and now
The elder Ruffalo was a builder, and the actor’s mother, Maria, was a hairdresser. The family had four children, which did not prevent Mary and Frank from getting a divorce, despite also the Catholic faith, in which divorce is considered one of the worst sins. For young Mark, this was the first psychological trauma.
Benicio Del Toro and Mark Ruffalo
In his youth, Mark was fond of wrestling, he was predicted to have a great sports career. School performance was poor due to his congenital dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. Another hobby of the young man was art, which eventually prevailed. Shortly after the family moved to Los Angeles, he entered the acting studio, where during his studies he became friends with another talented student, Benicio del Toro.
Vocation
After graduation, the young man was not a member of the theater troupe for long. Although he was a fan of the theater, the cinema still attracted him more, and Mark began to participate in castings.
Mark Ruffalo in his youth
In an interview, the actor says that he never wanted fame. He just wanted to do what his soul aspired to. Being a devout Catholic, he tried to persevere in rejection and take a hit, continuing to take part in auditions again and again.
True, according to Mark, he sometimes gave vent to emotions and, out of impotence and resentment, beat his fists on the walls of his tiny rented room, and then pasted them with posters with famous actors. To somehow make ends meet, he worked as a bartender. Mark perceived his work as another step towards a dream and used it to observe people whose mannerisms he copied, polishing his acting skills.
First success
Mark was in his thirties when he became successful. For the first time he appeared on the screen in 1996 in the trash-horror “Dentist” with the brilliant Corbin Bernsen as a maniac doctor. However, the rising of a new star passed unnoticed. For three years, Mark played only a few roles. But one of them became for the young actor a happy ticket to the world of big cinema.
Shot from the film “Dentist”
In 1999, the tape “You can count on me” was released. It was directed by Kenneth Lonergan, whom Mark knew from his work in the theater. The partner of the young actor was the already famous Laura Linney. The picture won several awards and nominations, and Hollywood bosses first drew attention to Mark Ruffalo.
Mark Ruffalo in You Can Count on Me
From 1999 to 2003, Mark began to receive offers and quickly managed to build a reputation as a complaisant and obliging actor who knew how to fully get into the role. During this period, he starred in the hilarious comedy Apartment 12, in which he played a young artist forced to get along with restless flatmates. And in the films Windtalkers and The Last Castle, the young actor played on a par with the famous Robert Redford, Peter Stromare and Nicolas Cage.
Tests
As you know, fate gives a lot to its favorites. But in return, capricious fortune sometimes gives trials, after passing which, her favorite only becomes stronger. This is what happened in Mark’s case.
Mark Ruffalo had a lot of trials in his life
Encouraged by the success, the actor did not immediately notice the deterioration in health, which he attributed to fatigue. When Mark asked for help, the doctors diagnosed him with an acoustic neuroma, which had grown to such a size that it required immediate surgical intervention. As it turned out later, the tumor was benign, but even in this case, delay could cost Mark his life.
In 2008, one of Mark’s best friends, beloved actor Heath Ledger, died. And at the end of the same year, the actor experienced another shock when he learned about the death of his brother. Detectives have never been able to find out if Scott Ruffalo was shot, committed suicide, or if his death was an accident.
Heath Ledger is one of Mark Ruffalo’s best friends
Mark endured life’s trials with dignity. The actor gave himself completely to his beloved work, which helped him survive the loss of loved ones.
Main roles
The period from 2003 to 2010 marked the huge success of Mark. The actor acquired his own recognizable style, and the fame of a master of deep dramatic play. During this period, he played in more than 30 films, each of which took its rightful place in the world film fund.
The period from 2003 to 2010 marked the huge success of Mark
Among the tapes in which Mark’s acting talent shone, critics noted the drama We Don’t Live Here Anymore, in which the actor made up an excellent acting ensemble with Laura Dern, Peter Krause and Naomi Watts. And the role of a policeman in “The Dark Side of Passion”, performed by Mark Ruffalo, made the army of his fans literally go crazy. Meg Ryan and Jennifer Jason Leigh played alongside Ruffalo in the story of the investigation of a terrible murder, permeated through and through with exquisite eroticism.
In 2008, the actor worked in the apocalyptic film Blindness, Mark’s partners were Julianne Moore and Danny Glover, and one of his close friends, Gabriel Garcia Bernal.
Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore
2010 brought the actor a BAFTA nomination for his role in the comedy The Kids Are All Right and the opportunity to make a brilliant cast with Leo DiCaprio, Max von Sydow and Sir Ben Kingsley in the macabre thriller Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese himself.
Also in 2010, Mark acted as a director: he presented to the audience his film “Sympathy for Delicious”, in which the roles were played by Orlando Bloom and Juliette Lewis. This picture, according to Ruffalo himself, is an expression of his personal life values, and faith in the triumph of love. Mark’s debut collected good box office receipts, justified the money spent, and earned excellent reviews from movie connoisseurs.
In 2010, Mark acted as a director
From 2012 to 2017, Mark Ruffalo’s treasury of creative success was replenished with his brilliant work in several parts of the Avengers series as the giant Hulk, in the films Illusion of Deception, Foxcatcher, Normal Heart and Spotlight, for which he received several prestigious awards.
Mark Ruffalo was brilliant as the Hulk.
Filming in “Foxcatcher”, the actor had to recover by 13 kilograms. For this role, he was nominated for the highest award of film academics – “Oscar”. In the spring of 2018, a new part of The Avengers was released, in which Mark has been playing scientist Bruce Banner and his alter ego Hulk since 2012.
Personal life of Mark Ruffalo
In 2000, the actor married Sunrise Coney. Mark’s wife is not only an actress, but also a successful entrepreneur: she owns a network of jewelry stores in Europe and America. Their marriage is considered one of the strongest in Hollywood, the couple has three children.
Mark Ruffalo and Sunrise Coney
Mark Ruffalo is known for his active citizenship, he protested against the election of President Donald Trump. Like Robert De Niro, Cher and James Franco, he participated in numerous protests and rallies.
Mark Ruffalo now
In 2019, Mark Ruffalo could be seen in another Marvel masterpiece – Avengers: Endgame. He again played the role of the Hulk. At the same time, the film Dark Waters was released, where Ruffalo played the role of Rob. His partners on the set were Anne Hathaway and Tim Robbins. The picture won positive reviews from critics and viewers.
In 2024, the series “I Know It’s True” was released. This work was extremely unusual for Mark – he played two roles in the TV project at once. Ruffalo embodied two twin brothers, Dominic and Thomas Birdsey, whose lives are filled with tragedy. Dominic is forced to watch Thomas, who is ill with schizophrenia, almost all his life. At the same time, the actor worked on the animated series What If…? along with Geoffrey Wright and Hayley Atwell. Its premiere is due in 2024. A year later, in 2024, the film “She-Hulk” will see the light, where Ruffalo will play the role of Bruce Banner, which is familiar to him. Among the expected films with the participation of Mark and the film “Our Name is Adam”, where he played with Ryan Reynolds, as well as “Breaking News”.