He also had poor reflexes and had difficulty processing simple concepts like tying a knot. 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). His facial nerves eventually recovered and he fought his way back into the spotlight. [1] In 2007, Ruffalo played divorced lawyer Dwight Arno, who accidentally kills a child and speeds away, in Terry George's film Reservation Road, based on the novel by John Burnham Schwartz. RELATED:Maria Menounos Says This Was the First Symptom of Her Brain Tumor. 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. [1] His father is of Italian descent, from Girifalco[3] and his mother is of French Canadian and Italian ancestry. In 2014, Ruffalo starred as Ned Weeks in a television adaptation of Larry Kramer's AIDS-era play, The Normal Heart; his performance earned him an Emmy nomination. However, he beat the odds after six months of paralysis, Ruffalo was able to make very slight movements, signaling the beginning of a recovery that would still take several more months. "My father told me that my heart had stopped briefly on the operating table, so that was scary to me," the star revealed. Around 2000, Ruffalo was diagnosed with a brain tumor known as an acoustic neuroma. [61] Ruffalo expressed views in line with the 9/11 truth movement when he stated: "I'm baffled by the way all three buildings came down. Though Ruffalo continued working on his film, he remained retired from acting until he read the script for The Kids Are All Right. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. 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? [16][30], In 2008, Ruffalo expressed concern that gas companies were eyeing his family's land in Callicoon, New York. [1] With the theater company, he wrote, directed, and starred in a number of plays. There, Frank started a new business called Soda Butler, a business reminiscent of the modern Soda Stream. His three siblings ( Scott Ruffalo, Tania, and Nicole) are all hairdressers. After reaching a point where he was struggling to sleep because his brain wouldn't "shut off" at night, an old friend recommended that he try meditation, and it changed his life. [22] Ruffalo also made cameo appearances as Banner in Iron Man 3,[23] Captain Marvel,[24] and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,[25] and he reprised the role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.[26]. This sounds sappy, but I was always aware of the frailty of human beings, the sorrow in the nature of things. ", During an interview with theObserver, Ruffalo commented on his depression, "It's dysthymia. "My work started to change, my luck started to change. [36] The New York Times described the claim as "dubious" and stated that those "sounding the alarm", did not mention that the larvicide did not work through the central nervous system and that it has been approved by the World Health Organization. Mark Ruffalo, in full Mark Alan Ruffalo, (born November 22, 1967, Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.), American actor who was a compelling performer in critically acclaimed movies and plays, though he was perhaps more widely known for portraying Bruce Banner/the Hulk in a series of superhero movies. 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. Supplements: Folic acid increase prostate cancer risk, Bowel cancer: Symptoms include hematochezia, Mark Ruffalo: The Hulk actor was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma in 2001, Chris Evans health: Radio DJ on his 'unbearable' symptoms, Mark Ruffalo: The actor's face became paralysed just days after his surgery, Ruth Jones health: Star uses particular spice to help arthritis, Tom Hanks health: Star suffered from 'crippling' aches and fatigue, Michael Caine health: Star, 89, on his health concerns. "[62], Ruffalo is pro-choice. "I was like that for about 10 months and the likelihood of it ever getting better looked pretty remote," he told The Telegraph. "Listen, I really had a scary dream last night and you'll probably think I'm crazy but I think I have a brain tumor and I would really like to get it checked out," he told her. These two things helped to speed up his recovery and regain his balance. Just saying, 'Hey, this is who I am.'" sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices. Even then, it remained a secret between them, his close friend, and his doctor. He has struggled with depression since he was a kid. Ruffalo said: I was praying and sort of bargaining with God I was like hey man, please um you know don't take my face and don't take my life because without my face I can't really support my family and without my life definitely can't support my family.. MCU star and Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo might seem, from the outside, like he has the perfect life, but in truth he's been struggling for a long time. 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. After having a dream that he had developed a brain tumor, Ruffalo became concerned and decided to consult a doctor. It was a difficult tim, and he has said he was "just about ready to jump off a bridge. [16], Ruffalo starred in The Avengers (2012), the sixth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, replacing Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk. His efforts on behalf of the film caught the attention of the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security, which resulted in reports saying the actor had earneda spot on the U.S. It led to speculations that he was battling alcoholism, drug addiction, or AIDS. Read on to. Recently, it was rumored that he might finally get a standalone Hulk movie and he makes a cameo in the Disney+ series, Moon Knight. "[63] Ruffalo has called for an economic revolution, saying that "capitalism today is failing us, killing us, and robbing from our children's future. 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. The tumor was found to be benign; however, the surgery to remove the mass resulted in partial facial paralysis and affected his hearing. According to a toxicology report obtained by Access Hollywood (via People), the 40-year-old had Valium, morphine, codeine and marijuana in his system when he passed, but the actual cause of death was complications arising from an enlarged heart, the coroner confirmed. Overcoming anger is essentially what playing the Hulk is all about, and, because of that, Mark Ruffalo wouldn't appear to be a natural fit for the part. "Somehow this story came out about my being on this terrorist list," he told the newspaper. To paraphrase Ruffalo, he had a childhood filled with happiness, though it had its share of complications. "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 . [51] The paralysis subsided after a year, but Ruffalo remains deaf in his left ear. While the actor says he did experience temporary paralysis following his operation, the symptoms resolved in the months that followed. Prior to 9/11, he moved to upstate New York to get away from the spotlight and focus on recuperating. I had become friendly with the set doctor on that movie who was on the board of the local hospital," the Spotlight star told the Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA) in 2013. Nick Fury actor Samuel Jackson called him a "cuddly little bear" and revealed that "everyone loves hugging on Mark" on the set of the Marvel movies, but, believe it or not, he was once a very angry young man. "Those are the ones you may be stuck to.". The pair went through some of their toughest times together, forging a bond that went beyond blood. Lauren Gray is a New York-based writer, editor, and consultant. The future star's neighbor was stabbed 12 times on Ruffalo's front porch after attempting to stop some local kids from stealing a car, and the violence even followed him to work. Amy Sussman/Getty Images While the actor says he did experience temporary paralysis following his operation, the symptoms resolved in the months that followed. Worse still, that side of his face was completely paralyzed he couldn't even close his eye. He might be able to pull off playing a scientific genius in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Ruffalo didn't exactly shine academically as a child. By the tenth month his face started to back, which he was surprised about because it had been so long. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. Recalling the events in an interview with the Acoustic Neuroma association, he said: I could hear some murmurings in the room next door and she came in and she was white as a sheet and she sat down and she said `you have a mass behind your left ear the size of a golf ball'.". This infuriated Penn's grieving loved ones, some of whom decided to confront the snapper. Friendships usually form based on common beliefs, interests, or experiences, and Mark and Michael were no different. Speaking about a difficult time in his life, Mark told Parade: "For a long time, I felt like someone had it in for me.