Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo
Mark Alan Ruffalo is an American actor, director, humanitarian, social activist, and film producer. He made his screen debut in an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse, followed by minor film roles. He was part of the original cast of This Is Our Youth, for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Following was his roles in 13 Going on 30, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Zodiac, and What Doesn't Kill You. In 2010, he starred in the...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth22 November 1967
CityKenosha, WI
CountryUnited States of America
There's a misperception about actors that we actually choose the roles we end up doing - it's more that we're chosen for them.
As an actor, I started using dreams more, which is not mystical or anything like that. I just found that I've been using that as a tool to give me another point of view towards the work. It's often surprising but really helpful.
Each role, I feel like takes you on a different journey based on who that character is.
When you're trying to do character work that's different from what people expect from you, you're sort of in territory that is uncharted, and you don't know how it's playing all the time.
As an actor, you want to remain vulnerable. You don't want to always have all the answers and you want to be fine doing things in the moment with your fellow actors.
I'm very nervous in the beginning and then I get in there and start doing my work and I feel more comfortable.
There's a level of trust that you have to have with somebody.
Even if my movies weren't big blockbusters, directors generally liked me, so they would fight for me.
Artists have always been the front line; that's part of our responsibility. But a lot of the big actors come out, they get slammed, and then they retreat.
It's a point of pride that no one would treat me any differently because I'm an actor than if I was a gardener.
I have a carpool with a corrections officer and a construction worker. My kids get to see that we're not segregated based on wealth or standing. It's very cool.
The idea of selling is a projection that people create about people that is more of a reflection of who they are than what is actually happening in front of them with the artist.
I got into acting because I wanted to act and I love acting. That's my true north: to be creative and to be challenged in what I love to do.
I grew up on Lake Michigan during the PCB explosion, and I remember seeing the sick, dead fish with tumors, the weird deformed seagulls, the scum and the filth floating. We couldn't go swimming.