Mark Ruffalo, although thriving as an actor today, encountered significant challenges in the early 2000s. Frustration from unmet expectations left him in a state of discouragement. The difficult times escalated when his brother’s life was tragically taken away, leading Ruffalo to seriously consider an early retirement.
This Is Why Mark Ruffalo Decided to Quit Acting
In 2008, Mark Ruffalo faced a devastating family tragedy when his brother Scott Ruffalo, was tragically murdered. Already dealing with low confidence in his career and unfulfilled expectations, the actor contemplated quitting acting following the heartbreaking news. As per The Hollywood Reporter Roundtable discussion, he revealed,
“You have your dreams, and then those start to become realized, but it’s not what you thought it was going to be, and at some point it gets away from you, and the next thing you realize is it’s all about the business and someone else’s idea of your career that doesn’t have much to do with what your idea was, and then you lose what your idea was of what your career was going to be. I was already feeling that way, and then my brother passed away [Scott Ruffalo was murdered in 2008] just before I was going to direct a film that I’d been working on for a long time [2010’s Sympathy for Delicious],”
He further continued saying,
“And during the course of doing that, I was like, “I don’t know if I want to go back to acting. I kind of feel much more comfortable here [directing].” And then I got a great part, the kind of part that I wanted to do, and I was like, “This is going to be my last acting gig.” And it was The Kids Are All Right.”
Believing that the Julianne Moore film would mark his last, the actor intended to shift his career toward directing. However, as the movie premiered, the joy of directing couldn’t match the thrill of acting and the experience of seeing himself on the big screen. Realizing that acting was his true passion, despite the initial hurt, he understood that it was the path that would guide him through.
Mark Ruffalo’s Thoughts on His Brother’s Tragic Death
In a 2017 interview with Men’s Journal, Mark Ruffalo spoke out about the tragic loss of his brother. Despite his journey, he acknowledges a debt of gratitude to several people, with his late brother Scott Ruffalo holding the top position on that list. Without him, Ruffalo believes he wouldn’t have made it in the industry. He said,
“You never get over it; you just get used to it. You get calloused, a little bit harder maybe, so be on guard for that. But take these tragic things and turn them into something meaningful and worthy of the loss. Make it count.”
He also added,
“I was the actor pushing 30 and still doing 30-seat theaters, and he was the mayor of Beverly Hills. For years, people would meet me and go, ‘You’re Scotty Ruffalo’s brother? I love your brother. He’s [expletive] amazing.'”
In fact, the reason he chose The Kids Are All Right lies in the striking similarities between the characters of Paul and his late brother. The role resonated deeply with him and thus drew him closer. He continued,
“His charm, his spirit, his sense of humor, his daring. How great he was with women. How he sort of devoured life. I’m only capturing a tiny glimpse of him,–But I think it ended up honoring him in a really nice way. He’s a beautiful guy. He was a beautiful guy.”
Though his brother is no longer with him, the actor strives to keep his memory alive, acknowledging that he owes his career to him.
The Kids Are All Right is available on Apple TV to rent.
