[1] In March 2007, he appeared in Zodiac as SFPD homicide inspector Dave Toschi, who ran the investigation to find and apprehend the Zodiac killer from 1969 through most of the 1970s. He's enjoying the heights right now, but, before playing Bruce Banner/the Hulk in Hollywood's biggest franchise, he had to first experience the lowest of lows, going through things that most of us would struggle to overcome. [69], Ruffalo signed a letter supporting Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn describing him as "a beacon of hope in the struggle against emergent far-right nationalism, xenophobia and racism in much of the democratic world" and endorsed him for in the 2019 UK general election. More info. Father was a construction painter and mother a hairstylist. After graduation, his family uprooted and moved to what the men's mag described as a "seedy beach community" in San Diego, though things didn't exactly work out the way his parents (a house decorator and a hair stylist) had planned. His next role was in 2001 in Rod Lurie's The Last Castle playing a bookie in a military prison alongside Robert Redford. RELATED:Wayne Osmond Says This Was His First Sign of a Brain Tumor. Ruffalo and his family call the . For Mark, reaching the pinnacle of his acting career still brought his fair share of struggles. In May of 2017, heteamed up with the Child Mind Institute to participate in their #MyYoungerSelf initiative, through which celebrities talked about what they would have told their younger selves as they lived with a mental health or learning disorder. Scott Ruffalo's murder remains unsolved. These non-routine tests have the potential to save your life. Ruffalo also owns two apartments in New York City, one for business and another for investment. His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. It's like a low-grade depression that just is running all the time in the background.". "He'd make a f***ing giant bowl of tuna pasta, and we'd eat off that all week long," Ruffalo recalled. Since then, he's received three Oscar nominations for his performances in The Kids Are All Right, Foxcatcher, and Spotlight. He was raised alongside two sisters and a brother by working-class parents of Italian and French-Canadian descent. Following his brother's death, Ruffalo decided to take a break from Hollywood. [33] The Pennsylvania Governor's Office of Homeland Security denied the claim. They have three children. "It's when you have what seems to be bad luck that actually turns into good luck later." It was a difficult tim, and he has said he was "just about ready to jump off a bridge. The actor sought out his own meditation teacher to see if it would work for him in the same way, and the results were astonishing. [1] With the theater company, he wrote, directed, and starred in a number of plays. Ruffalo was informed that he had a mass the size of a golf ball behind his left ear (known as an acoustic neuroma) and would need surgery to have it removed as soon as possible. "Signs and symptoms could include hearing loss, ringing in the ear, dizziness and facial numbness.". You never get over it, you just get used to it. He was all set to begin working on M. Night Shyamalan's Signs (2002) when he had the premonition, and he went to the production's doctor for advice. [7], Ruffalo spent his teen years in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where his father worked. Ruffalo is one of the few performers to receive all four EGOT nominations. Ruffalo also related that he had been called an antisemite for his views, saying, "[It's] really tough to hear. [12], In 2008, Ruffalo starred as a con man in The Brothers Bloom with Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz and co-starred with Julianne Moore in Blindness. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Mark became extremely concerned with his life due to the eery dream and decided to consult a doctor. As a result of the tumour, he briefly suffered a period of partial facial paralysis. However, he was also told by the hospital staff that overall the surgery went well and that they preserved his nerve and removed the tumour. Ruffalo's decision to change his own body size was based . At that point I thought maybe I wasn't enjoying it the way I thought I would, and so having that kind of taken away from me for a little while made me understand how much I actually loved it and cared about it," he added. "The chances of the nerves coming back diminish each month and month seven was pretty much the cut-off point. Actor Mark Ruffalo, known for his role as Bruce Banner / Hulk, had a brain tumor in 2001. He thought he'd never act again, yet. "For a long time, I felt like someone had it in for me," Ruffalo told Parade. "I was working on a movie when I had a dream that I had a brain tumor, and it was like no other dream that I'd ever had. In fact, given everything he's been through, it's a wonder that he isn't a total jerk. Additionally, the prescribed drugs resulted in a loss of balance. Interest in Penn's death was high at the time, which led to one brazen member of the paparazzi to intrude on the funeral in the hope of getting some valuable snaps. "When I woke up I was so sickand I was not dead, so that was goodbut I was so sick I almost wished I was." Ruffalo gained nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing a sperm-donor in the comedy-drama The Kids Are All Right (2010), Dave Schultz in the biopic Foxcatcher (2014), and Michael Rezendes in the drama Spotlight (2015). [58], In May 2022, Ruffalo was sued by residents of Ellenville, New York for not cleaning up a fire that broke out on the set of a car dealership that was used as a location for I Know This Much Is True. The two other people present at Scott's home that night (26-year-old Shaha Adham, the daughter of a wealthy Saudi businessman, and Brian Scofield, her 29-year-old boyfriend) were arrested but told authorities that Scott inflicted the wound on himself. His facial nerves eventually recovered and he fought his way back into the spotlight. "[64], He has shown support for the LGBT community;[65] however, he has received backlash from the transgender community for supporting the casting of a man, Matt Bomer, to play a trans woman in the film Anything, on which Ruffalo was an executive producer. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { Bonus: You'll also be a much, much healthier man. "Be careful what bargains you make," Ruffalo quipped while speaking to the ANA. When she's not writing, she's probably immersed in reading or keeping up with the latest films on Mubi. Within an hour of the test, his doctor returned to share the results of the imaging. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Mark Ruffalo has dealt with depression since he was a child. "I Know This Much Is True," an HBO limited series based on Wally Lamb's 1998 brick of a book, begins when Thomas Birdsey enters a public library and amputates his . Unfortunately, Ruffalo's best friend isn't the only person close to him who passed away unexpectedly. And she said, 'you are crazy, but you shouldn't have to live with that fear, so I'll order you an MRIor CAT scantomorrow.'". When hate rises, it calls all of us to rise . Whether he's picking up stranded hitchhikers, inviting fans to join him on the sets of his movies, or campaigning for the numerous charities he's involved with, the Wisconsin native is as humble a movie star as you're likely to meet, but life hasn't always been as kind to him as he is to others. After a while, Frank Ruffalo's painting business went under, prompting the family to move to Virginia Beach, Virginia, when Mark was 13. Ruffalo also kept the diagnosis secret from his wife, Sunrise Coginey who was pregnant with their first child at that time. In 2006, the brother of Sean Penn was found dead at his Santa Monica condo, with a suspected overdose the cause. [1] In 2006, Ruffalo starred in Clifford Odets's Awake and Sing! Looking back, Ruffalo is grateful for and haunted by the dream that saved his life. In 2010, he co-starred in the Martin Scorsese thriller Shutter Island as U.S. "Every news organization in the country ran it without bothering to check if it was true," he said. Mark Ruffalo House. In fact, according to Ruffalo, some outlets picked up the story and paired it with news of Scott Ruffalo's unsolved murder to create a more compelling story. Ruffalo continues to be a major movie star he starred in The Adam Project in 2022, and his next film Poor Things is in the works and he continues to work in the MCU too; he'll be starring alongside Tatiana Maslany in She-Hulk on Disney+. Mark Ruffalo is the 4th actor to play the Hulk. Everything was going to be okay for him, but he still had a whole lot of tragedy to get through before he reached that point in his life. } else { Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2dc131ccd02eb5 If this is it, if I have a piano dropped on me tomorrow, then I would go down thinking, "You know what, I did okay as far as my career goes, because that's a gift. He has struggled with depression since he was a kid. en.m.wikipedia.org comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment Describing his tumor as "the best of the worst" in a 2012 interview, he said, "I didn't die, but I learned a lot about myself I learned that I could survive.". Ruffalo did in fact lose his hearing soon after surgery. Ruffalo did in fact lose his hearing soon after surgery. ", During an interview with theObserver, Ruffalo commented on his depression, "It's dysthymia. More info, Mark Ruffalo, 52, is the epitome of the expression a 10 year overnight success. Ruffalo's big break came at the turn of the millennium when he was cast in the critically acclaimed drama You Can Count on Me, the success of which led to a role alongside the legendary Robert Redford in 2001's The Last Castle. You get calloused, a little bit harder maybe, so be on guard for that. Mark also supports the group 'Water Defense' which undertakes clean water programs. Ruffalo first learned of his tumor in 2000, while shooting the film You Can Count on Me. He went on to star in the romantic comedies 13 Going on 30 (2004) and Just like Heaven (2005) and the thrillers In the Cut (2003), Zodiac (2007), and Shutter Island (2010). RELATED: Fans Can't Stop Talking About Tom Holland's Face In Mark Ruffalo's MCU Picture. But take these tragic things and turn them into something meaningful and worthy of the loss. He also had poor reflexes and had difficulty processing simple concepts like tying a knot. While he was still in school, friends would talk about their . However, in the year 2000just as his career was taking offthe actor suffered a setback that could easily have thwarted the many achievements that lay ahead. "When he finally did, I was like, 'Oh my God, how could you bear all that?'" Police arrested Adham but eventually released her, and no charges were filed. He's earned plenty of awards and nominationsas an actor, including an Emmy forThe Normal Heart and the BAFTA Humanitarian Award in 2014. "Somehow this story came out about my being on this terrorist list," he told the newspaper. He has broad clinical experience in the psychoanalytic treatment of mood . With nominations for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, Ruffalo is one of a selected few performers to be nominated for the four major entertainment awards in the US (EGOT). Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor in a TV Movie, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, List of awards and nominations received by Mark Ruffalo, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, List of actors with Academy Award nominations, List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories, "Mark Ruffalo: intervista con l'attore di Avengers", "Ruffalo ascends to the next level in 'Heaven', "5 Fakta Mark Ruffalo, Dari Kena Tumor Otak Hingga Adiknya Ditembak Mati", "Shutter Island Opens Doors For Home Video", "TOLDJA! [8], He made his screen debut in an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse (1989),[9] followed by minor film roles, and was part of the original cast of This Is Our Youth (1996). Years later, she called Ruffalo and said she wrote a script and had him in mind for the part. It led to other significant roles, including the films XX/XY (2002), Isabel Coixet's My Life Without Me, John Woo's Windtalkers (2003), Jane Campion's In the Cut (2003), Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), and We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004), which is based on two short stories written by Andre Dubus. In his interview with the Telegraph, Ruffalo stated that he'd been considering stepping aside prior to Scott's death because of his growing disillusionment with Hollywood. "But there's also the healthier part that says, 'You integrate it, and you get on.' ", "Mark Ruffalo Doesn't Know If We Will See The Hulk Again In The MCU", "Exclusive: New letter supporting Jeremy Corbyn signed by Roger Waters, Robert Del Naja and more", AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Actor (TV/Streaming), Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor, Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries, Limited Series or Television Film, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mark_Ruffalo&oldid=1141652651, American people of French-Canadian descent, Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Screen Actors Guild Award winners, Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 03:41. In 2018, he received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for the political audiobook Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In (2016). In fact, things went downhill pretty fast. During his ramp-up to wider success, Ruffalo suffered a setback in 2002 when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Ruffalo also explained that he underwent various therapies to help alleviate the paralysis, including acupuncture, herbal therapy, massage, and other forms of alternative medicines in conjunction with his prescribed regimen. [42], Also in 2019, Ruffalo starred in and co-produced Dark Waters, which spotlighted another one of his environmental concerns with its true-life depiction of a corporate lawyer's relentless pursuit of justice to expose poisonous pollution by chemical behemoth DuPont. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ruffalo explained that meditation has helped him to cope with his anxiety. Ruffalo was ultimately diagnosed with acoustic neuroma, a non-cancerous tumor which can develop in the main nerve between the inner ear and brain. Mark Ruffalo: The Hulk actor was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma in 2001 (Image: GETTY) Its symptoms include hearing loss affecting only one ear, hearing loss from inside the body, known as. "Your priorities become very clear. 2022 Galvanized Media. Mark had actually dreamt about his life-threatening condition before being diagnosed with it. Mark Ruffalo has come a long way since 1990 when he made his stage acting debut. It's a long-running, low-grade depression all the time," he said. "My friends have a term, getting 'Ruffaloed,'" he told In New York. In the ensuing scuffle, Ruffalo snatched the photographer's camera and confiscated the memory card. At the time, Mark had just graduated from high school; in several interviews, he's recalled that the family was living in a neighborhood where drugs like meth were commonly sold. However, just when he was about to make a name in Hollywood, he was forced to take a break that nearly hampered his career. Outside his acting career, Ruffalo has spoken out onhumanitarianandenvironmentalissues, among others. The Dark Waters star had a wake-up call in 1994 when he lost his best friend Michael to suicide. So it wasn't too hard to revisit those places. Mark retreated to his home where he stayed in self-imposed exile, refusing visits from colleagues and friends alike. James Powers, the Director of Pennsylvania's Office of Homeland Security, resigned after controversy surrounding the unlawful monitoring of activist groups began to surface. Make it count. Actor: Spotlight. All of the reasons why stars are definitely not like us. Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get Ruffalo graduated from First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, where he acted for the Patriot Playhouse. "Mark Ruffalo and his family deeply appreciate the outpouring of prayers and support during this most difficult time of the passing of Scott Ruffalo, beloved son, brother and husband," they said in a statement, though they failed to comment on the strange circumstances surrounding his passing. Still, Ruffalo was unable to completely cut himself off from the Hollywood lifestyle. He didn't know where he was headed in life. Now is the time to avoid hyperbole", "Mark Ruffalo and Viola Davis lead reactions as Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty", "We come together to mourn the lives lost to the same racist system that devalues Black lives and devalued the lives of Anthony and JoJo", "Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict: Hollywood Reacts To Acquittal With Outrage But Not Surprise", "Mark Ruffalo Jokes That His Kids Do Not Respect the Hulk: See His Family on the Red Carpet", "Mark Ruffalo Shares His Kids Shot a Scene for 'Thor: Ragnarok': 'They Had a Great Day' (Exclusive)", "Crazy Dream That Led To The Discovery of Mark Ruffalo Brain Tumor", "Mark Ruffalo's Brother Shot in the Head", "Mark Ruffalo Opens Up About the Murder of His Younger Brother Scott", "Mark Ruffalo's stepfather to speak at screening", "Mark Ruffalo and HBO Sued Over 2019 Fire on Set of I Know This Much Is True", "Kylie Jenner Isn't the Only Celebrity Who Believes in Chemtrails", "9 Stars Who Have Been 9/11 Conspiracy Truthers (Photos)", "Mark Ruffalo's pro-choice stance on abortion rights sets a powerful example", "Mark Ruffalo says capitalism is 'killing us'; millionaire actor calls for 'economic revolution', "Mark Ruffalo Reveals The Message Of "The Normal Heart" And The Personal Reason LGBT Equality Is Important To Him", "Mark Ruffalo Defends Matt Bomer Amid Transgender Casting Criticism", "Celebrities split over Ellen DeGeneres's remarks about George W. Bush", "Is Socialism Here To Stay In 2016, Or Is Bernie Sanders Just Another Howard Dean? According to The Wrap's report, Hulu is a valuable asset, with 44% of households in the United States subscribing to the service, and estimated to be worth between $19.8-27.5 billion. Diabetes: Two red fruits shown to supercharge insulin sensitivity and slash blood sugar, Statins side effects: The toilet sign indicating liver damage - contact a GP 'immediately', Dawn French health: 'I'm in hell' - star on her 'awful' condition that flares up on stage, Dementia: The surprising food shown to have 'adverse effects on cognition' in older adults, Max Verstappen health: F1 star's eyesight went 'completely blank', Bjrn Ulvaeus health: ABBA star, 76, on 'extreme' memory loss, Eamonn Holmes: Star's ice therapy to help 'dominant' issue, Numbness or weakness on one side of the face. He is the founder of the 'Solutions Project', which works for achieving 100% renewable energy. During his interview with the Acoustic Neuroma Association, Ruffalo said his dream was "so startling" that he knew he couldn't put the surgery off for too long, but a previous bad experience with anesthesia had him terrified. Her personal work revolves around philosophy and eroticism. In 1994, Mark's best friend died by suicide. But he may well be the first actor to play both Bruce Banner *and* Hulk. Mark had a difficult time accepting the fact that he was unable to work. In that time, Ruffalo kept quiet about why he'd dropped off the map, but that didn't stop people from guessing. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Its like a low-grade depression that just is running all the time in the background.". While Mark Ruffalo has been recognized for his professional and altruism, he's had a harder time getting to a position of being able to give back on a public scale than most people might assume. From his role as Inspector David Toschi inZodiacto the Incredible Hulk inThe Avengers, Mark Ruffalo has made an acting career for himself filled with success and recognition. Mark also explained that he underwent various therapies to help alleviate the paralysis, including acupuncture, herbal therapy, massage, and other forms of alternative medicine in conjunction with his prescribed regimen. Police investigated the actor, but no charges were ever brought against him. It became tough not only for Ruffalo's career but his marriage as well. that he started to bring his anger home with him. Mark moved with his family to Virginia Beach . It's not accurate, it's inflammatory, disrespectful & is being used to justify antisemitism here & abroad. He moved into a $600-a-month apartment with two friends and his kid brother Scott. [55] The case remains unsolved. His EGOT recognitions are: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It was a benign brain tumor that had to be surgically removed. Mark had a CAT scan after which he received the devastating diagnosis of that he had acoustic neuroma, a form of brain cancer. "My father told me that my heart had stopped briefly on the operating table, so that was scary to me," the star revealed. It wasn't until The Washington Times finally nailed the story that it went away. These two things helped to speed up his recovery and regain his balance. He said, " there was a time if you came into my apartment, there were pictures and posters hanging in very odd places where they were covering fist-holes through walls," adding, "Glasses that had been thrown through, coffee mugs, books, whatever I could get a hold of.". The three-time Academy Award nominee told the New York Daily News that he was eventually able to stop wearing his anger on his sleeve after he realized that he had a lot to be thankful for, but he needed some professional help to get it under control. The Hulk star had other complications, too, beginning with reacting badly to the anesthesia. However, he did permanently lose his ability to hear in his left ear. While Ruffalo's tumor operation was a success, the effect of the tumor still left its mark on him. "I see it as kind of a gift in a weird way," the actor told W Magazine in 2011. [43], In October 2020, speaking to Mehdi Hasan, Ruffalo condemned what he called Israel's "asymmetrical warfare" against the Palestinians, stating, "There is no reason that an ally of America should not be held to the same standards as any other nation in the world." "It wasn't until theWashington Times finally nailed the story that it went away." After having a dream that he had developed a brain tumor, Ruffalo became concerned and decided to consult a doctor. } Instead, he asked God to take his hearingsomething his doctors had informed him was one possible outcome of the surgery. The paralysis subsided after a year, but Mark remains deaf in his left ear. His dad is of Italian descent, from Girifalco while his mother is of half-French Canadian and half-Italian . [16][30], In 2008, Ruffalo expressed concern that gas companies were eyeing his family's land in Callicoon, New York. We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including He says having a tumor was a "gift" that made him love acting more. Is Mark Ruffalo Paralyzed? What is it? "I was like that for about 10 months and the likelihood of it ever getting better looked pretty remote," he told The Telegraph. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Rated 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, the project drew attention to the actor despite working opposite other established actors like Matthew Broderick and Laura Linney. Ruffalo had a difficult time accepting the fact that he was unable to work. "You always wonder, 'What could I have done differently?'" Its Dysthymia. While filming what would become a breakout role in his career, Ruffalo was diagnosed with a rare form of brain tumor, which he says was "the size of a golf ball" when it was found. It led to speculations that he was battling alcoholism, drug addiction, or AIDS. } A few years later, his brother Scott would be shot dead in a case that remains unsolved to this day. [51] The paralysis subsided after a year, but Ruffalo remains deaf in his left ear. Here's a look back at Mark Ruffalo's tragic real-life story. He begged God not to take away the one thing that he used to support his family, but, at that stage, it looked as though his face might never recover, essentially bringing his career as an actor to an end just as it was really getting started.