Mark Ruffalo

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q41422: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

Counted as actor. The films the hosts said they acted in, which the two lists below run through too: You Can Count on Me (2000); The Last Castle (2001); In the Cut (2003); View from the Top (2003); 13 Going on 30 (2004); Collateral (2004); Zodiac (2007); The Brothers Bloom (2008); Shutter Island (2010); The Kids Are All Right (2010); Margaret (2011); The Avengers (2012); Iron Man 3 (2013); Foxcatcher (2014); Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015); Spotlight (2015); Avengers: Infinity War (2018); Dark Waters (2019); Poor Things (2023); Awake and Sing! (play); Blindness; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Just Like Heaven; Reservation Road; Rumor Has It; We Don't Live Here Anymore; Windtalkers. Count them as director (1 film) instead.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

The Avengers (2012): 4 lines, within their own work

  1. contrast (contrast) · through Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Avengers: Age of Ultron (the host's read). Age of Ultron opens with the team already together and Fury in hiding, so it is a sequel to five films rather than to Avengers.
    “Avengers 2 can't be a sequel to Avengers one. It has to be a sequel to 5 other moments.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:39:42 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. theme (theme) · through Iron Man 3 (2013), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). Stark's arc across three Iron Man films peaks in Iron Man 3, and Avengers lays the track for its PTSD.
    “Iron Man 3 is all him being unable to cope with the psychological like trauma of this.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 2:07:49 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  3. lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The Hulk echoes Tony Stark's words from the first Avengers; the movie is full of callbacks.
    “echoing Tony Stark's words from the Avengers 2012”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 0:25:44 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  4. lineage (lineage) · through Iron Man 3 (2013), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). Iron Man 3 works as a quasi-sequel to The Avengers because it deals with Tony's trauma of the portal and aliens.
    “Except it's it is a sort of quasi sequel to the Avengers in that it's dealing with the fact that he got sucked into a portal into space for a 2nd there.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 0:15:43 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Iron Man (2008): 3 lines

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Iron Man 3 (2013), which they acted in: Iron Man ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). The Iron Man trilogy is closed into a circle by the flashback to the party and Becca Hall and Pierce.
    “as individualistic as this movie is, it actually like... It's bringing the 1st 2 complete.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 0:18:57 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  2. theme (theme) · through Iron Man 3 (2013), which they acted in: Iron Man ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). Iron Man 3 later parodies the Osama-type Mandarin expectation that Iron Man originally planned (Ten Rings leader, no magic).
    “And then Iron Man 3 wisely parodies that expectation.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 1:25:03 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  3. industry (industry) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: Iron Man ⇒ The Avengers (the host's read). The post-credits Nick Fury scene established the shared-universe model that changed Hollywood for a decade or more.
    “I mean, this has changed the next 10 years of Hollywood filmmaking.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 2:13:16 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

The Incredible Hulk (2008): 2 lines

  1. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Incredible Hulk ⇒ The Avengers (the host's read). Avengers' line about Hulk 'breaking Harlem' is false: the Abomination did it.
    “That's the one thing they reference in Avengers, where he says, I kind of broke Harlem.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Incredible Hulk · 1:34:36 · Griffin or David (0.30 sure it was them)
  2. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Incredible Hulk ⇒ The Avengers (the host's read). Ruffalo's first Hulk scene in a slum echoes this film's Rocinha opening, though otherwise the continuity is thrown out.
    “The only tale is that when the Mark Ruffalo hook was introduced, they find the little hot.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Incredible Hulk · 0:25:11 · Griffin or David (0.25 sure it was them)

Alasdair Gray: 1 line

  1. lineage (source novel) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: Alasdair Gray ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). The film is based on the Scottish author's novel, from which Lanthimos took liberties.
    “this is actually based on a novel by Alice Dare Gray, the Scottish author.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 1:18:42 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): 1 line, within their own work

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Avengers: Age of Ultron ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The Hulkbuster armor pays off Banner being almost defeated by it before.
    “it's paying off the fact that he was, you know, almost defeated by this armor before.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 2:00:15 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935): 1 line

  1. lineage (influence) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: Bride of Frankenstein ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). Sean says the Frankenstein novel and the first two Frankenstein movies are major influences on Poor Things.
    “the Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein are, like, huge influences on this movie.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 1:14:03 · Sean Fennessey (0.75 sure it was them)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): 1 line

  1. programming (programming) · through Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), which they acted in: Captain America: The Winter Soldier ⇒ Avengers: Age of Ultron (the host's read). The post-credits scene sets up the twins and Strucker's experiments.
    “You know what they're setting up here, Benny.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Captain America: The Winter Soldier · 2:12:03 · unknown (0.35 sure it was them)

Collateral (2004): 1 line, within their own work

  1. people (casting) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: Collateral ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Fincher cast Ruffalo partly because he liked him in Collateral.
    “One, Fincher really liked him in collateral.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:24:06 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Dogtooth (2009): 1 line

  1. lineage (sequel in spirit) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: Dogtooth ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). Both are about who gets to dictate the rules; Poor Things is described as a sequel to Dogtooth's fathers-and-language themes.
    “It's like the sequel to that movie in some ways because the Godwin character”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:41:25 · Sean Fennessey (0.55 sure it was them)

Donnie Darko (2001): 1 line

  1. people (casting) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: Donnie Darko ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Fincher liked Donnie Darko and had Gyllenhaal pegged for a while.
    “unsurprisingly, Fincher liked Donny Darko”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:22:44 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Fu Manchu (character): 1 line

  1. theme (theme) · through Iron Man 3 (2013), which they acted in: Fu Manchu (character) ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). The Mandarin is a Fu Manchu stereotype that Marvel could not play straight, so Kingsley's false-flag twist threads the needle.
    “Because the Mandarin is Fu Manchu.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 1:06:17 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Iron Man 2 (2010): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Iron Man 3 (2013), which they acted in: Iron Man 2 ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). Iron Man 2's failure forced something new, giving Shane Black room to make a better third film.
    “But also, that is why the 3rd one is good because the 2nd one was such a mistake that they were like, we don't know.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Incredible Hulk · 1:20:47 · Griffin or David (0.30 sure it was them)

Jack Kirby: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Jack Kirby ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). Kirby's cosmic creations at Marvel, Galactus and the Silver Surfer, are the ancestors of this material.
    “he creates galactus and silver surf and all these parrots”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:56:25 · Griffin Newman (0.35 sure it was them)

Jim Starlin: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Jim Starlin ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The cosmic Thanos comics were mostly Starlin and mostly dudes talking on half asteroids.
    “Starlin stuff, mostly.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:52:56 · David Sims (0.30 sure it was them)

L.A. Confidential (1997): 1 line

  1. lineage (structure / influence) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: L.A. Confidential ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Leslye says Zodiac feels like it follows in the footsteps of L.A. Confidential.
    “zodiac feels like it follows in the footsteps of that.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 0:50:16 · Leslye Headland (0.80 sure it was them)

Robert Graysmith: 1 line

  1. lineage (adaptation) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: Robert Graysmith ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). The Salerno script, which Vanderbilt took over, adapted Graysmith's nonfiction book (with a speculative sequel bolted on).
    “So it's sort of like an adaptation of Graysmith's nonfiction book and a speculative sequence.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 0:50:39 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Rumor Has It: 1 line, within their own work

  1. people (casting) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: Rumor Has It ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Jennifer Aniston, on Rumor Has It with Ruffalo, helped him get the role.
    “So rumor has it kind of helps him get this.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:25:09 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Seven (1995): 1 line

  1. unmapped (why Fincher was offered it) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: Seven ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Seven made Fincher the first choice for any serial-killer project, Zodiac included.
    “Ever since he makes seven, if there's some serial killer movie, is getting sent it”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 0:51:53 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace ⇒ The Avengers (the host's read). The Chitauri transport creature with troops jumping off recalls the Battle Droid transport.
    “it's like the thing in Phantom Menace, the, uh, Battle Droid Transport.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:47:09 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Susanna Moore: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through In the Cut (2003), which they acted in: Susanna Moore ⇒ In the Cut (the host's read). Campion had been developing the film since the mid-90s, when she read Moore's novel.
    “Campion had been working on this movie since the mid 90s when she read Susanna Moore's novel, which came out in 95.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:24:44 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)

The Conversation (1974): 1 line

  1. craft (temp score) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: The Conversation ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). The Conversation's score was used as temp music while Zodiac was cut, then Shire scored it.
    “they use the conversation score as temp score.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 2:14:21 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

The Shining (1980): 1 line

  1. unmapped (stolen move) · through Zodiac (2007), which they acted in: The Shining ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Fincher steals the Steadicam move where the camera turns with the car and keeps it centered.
    “Fincher steals that move of like when the car turns a corner”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Shining with Timothy Simons (Ad-Free) · 2:05:09 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

The Wizard of Oz (1939): 1 line

  1. craft (visual echo) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: The Wizard of Oz ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). The black-and-white film turns to color once Bella discovers sex in Lisbon.
    “the movie turns to color once she knows about sex. So Wizard of Oz.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:46:39 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Thief (1981): 1 line

  1. craft (craft) · through Collateral (2004), which they acted in: Thief ⇒ Collateral (the host's read). Mann later circled back to blues in Collateral after trying all-blues for Thief.
    “but then circled back in collateral”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Thief’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:57:36 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018): 2 lines, within their own work

  1. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The Hulk echoes Tony Stark's words from the first Avengers; the movie is full of callbacks.
    “echoing Tony Stark's words from the Avengers 2012”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 0:25:44 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  2. lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), which they acted in: Avengers: Age of Ultron ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The Hulkbuster armor pays off Banner being almost defeated by it before.
    “it's paying off the fact that he was, you know, almost defeated by this armor before.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 2:00:15 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Iron Man 3 (2013): 2 lines, within their own work

  1. theme (theme) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). Stark's arc across three Iron Man films peaks in Iron Man 3, and Avengers lays the track for its PTSD.
    “Iron Man 3 is all him being unable to cope with the psychological like trauma of this.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 2:07:49 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Iron Man 3 (the host's read). Iron Man 3 works as a quasi-sequel to The Avengers because it deals with Tony's trauma of the portal and aliens.
    “Except it's it is a sort of quasi sequel to the Avengers in that it's dealing with the fact that he got sucked into a portal into space for a 2nd there.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 0:15:43 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Thor: The Dark World (2013): 2 lines

  1. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Thor: The Dark World (the host's read). The Dark World is the correction to Joss Whedon cracking Loki: he becomes co-lead, Thor 1A to Loki 1B.
    “This is the correction to Joss Whedon cracking Loki, where they're like, we get it now.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Thor: The Dark World · 0:20:47 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Thor: The Dark World (the host's read). Avengers ends with the team scattering, which is why the Phase 2 sequels can stand alone.
    “And also, Joss Wheaton's like master stroke at the end of Avengers is like, we're not a team.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Thor: The Dark World · 0:30:50 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Zodiac (2007): 2 lines, within their own work

  1. people (casting) · through Collateral (2004), which they acted in: Collateral ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Fincher cast Ruffalo partly because he liked him in Collateral.
    “One, Fincher really liked him in collateral.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:24:06 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. people (casting) · through Rumor Has It, which they acted in: Rumor Has It ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Jennifer Aniston, on Rumor Has It with Ruffalo, helped him get the role.
    “So rumor has it kind of helps him get this.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:25:09 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): 1 line, within their own work

  1. contrast (contrast) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Avengers: Age of Ultron (the host's read). Age of Ultron opens with the team already together and Fury in hiding, so it is a sequel to five films rather than to Avengers.
    “Avengers 2 can't be a sequel to Avengers one. It has to be a sequel to 5 other moments.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:39:42 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Avengers: Endgame (2019): 1 line

  1. unmapped (continuity) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Avengers: Infinity War ⇒ Avengers: Endgame (the host's read). Thor knowing where the reality stone is sets up a bad decision in Endgame.
    “that plays into Endgame, and a bad decision they make”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:03:46 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Captain Marvel (2019): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Captain Marvel (the host's read). The Tesseract, the glowing box, was a MacGuffin in the first Avengers and in Infinity War.
    “you may remember the Tesseract from the 1st Avengers film, and then, of course, the most recent Avengers film, Avengers Infinity War”
    The Big Picture · ‘Captain Marvel’ Is a ’90s Nostalgia Play. Did It Work? | Exit Survey · 0:09:03 · Sean Fennessey (0.85 sure it was them)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): 1 line

  1. programming (programming) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Guardians of the Galaxy (the host's read). Thanos' Chitauri subcontracting sets up the cosmic films; Guardians is next on their Marvel list.
    “We're gonna we're gonna cover Peter movie soon.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:34:57 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Thor: Ragnarok (2017): 1 line

  1. theme (theme) · through The Avengers (2012), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Thor: Ragnarok (the host's read). Ben's favorite Marvel movie; Hulk's journey into space follows from here.
    “Ragnarok is 100% Ben's favorite Marvel movie.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:18:58 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Directing (1) everyone in directing

Acting (55) everyone in acting

Other (3) everyone in other

What was said about them, by kind

career (16)

  1. career (career surprise): Mark Ruffalo → Poor Things. Amanda marvels that Ruffalo spent ten MCU years and never did a part like this.
    “I can't believe Mark Ruffalo is just in the MCU for like 10 years and wasn't doing stuff like this”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:58:05 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → You Can Count on Me. Ruffalo's breakthrough was You Can Count on Me, a two-hander that got Linney an Oscar nomination.
    “This sort of supporting roles in indie movies and then is just has this like insane breakthrough and you can count on me, right?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:35:39 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  3. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → Signs. During his illness Ruffalo dropped out of films, including the Joaquin Phoenix part in Signs.
    “Like, he's supposed to be Joaquin Phoenix and signs.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:36:46 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  4. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → Zodiac. Zodiac, despite flopping, was the moment Ruffalo reclaimed the leading-man trajectory.
    “Despite being a flop at the time, zodiac was the moment where it's like, oh, he's kind of reclaiming the role that we all thought he was going to do.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:39:39 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  5. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → The Kids Are All Right. The Kids Are All Right gave him his first Oscar nomination, which seemed overdue.
    “Kids are all right as his 1st Oscar nomination.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:39:48 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  6. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → Dark Waters. Ruffalo does non-Marvel work like Dark Waters alongside the Marvel films.
    “I can still watch like Dark Waters and I can be like, yeah, that's my man right there.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:41:28 · Jourdain Searles (0.50 sure it was them)
  7. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → Spotlight. Ruffalo got the Spotlight Oscar nomination from a cast expected to get three.
    “It's funny how everyone was like spotlight's gonna get like fucking 3 best supporting actor nominations.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:42:13 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  8. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → Shutter Island. Ruffalo has played cops in many modes, including Collateral and Shutter Island.
    “Um, he is just so bizarrely good at both playing cops, which he's done a lot in different modes, right?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:48:20 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  9. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → You Can Count on Me. His breakout, a second lead beside Laura Linney, put him on the map as a leading man.
    “Kenny Lonergan, my favorite playwright, cast him as the 2nd lead, and you can count on me alongside Laura Linney”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:19:09 · Griffin Newman (0.60 sure it was them)
  10. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → 13 Going on 30. After his illness he went for rom-com leads and got stuck as the nice pushover, the Bill Pullman of rom-coms.
    “At this point, it's like he's becoming like the Bill Pullman of rom-coms.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:22:41 · Griffin Newman (0.60 sure it was them)
  11. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → Sympathy for Delicious. His directorial debut, a low point (hosts disagree on degree) when he claimed he might quit acting.
    “It's just a dumbass hole, Sundance movie.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:23:30 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  12. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → Zodiac. Zodiac is cited as proof he is one of the best actors working, undercutting the 'mailman' theory.
    “Zodiac, which I think is one of the best performances of the last 20 years.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:23:39 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  13. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → The Brothers Bloom. Even when it flopped, Brothers Bloom showed Ruffalo acting hard, not mailing it in.
    “Ruffle is acting in this. He ain't mailing nothing in.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:24:26 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  14. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → The Kids Are All Right. A role of under 5 working days brought his first Oscar nomination and the comeback, then Shutter Island with Scorsese.
    “I believe he worked less than 5 days on that film.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:24:56 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  15. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → View from the Top. Ruffalo was a rom-com mail-it-in actor after that bomb before Marvel and The Kids Are All Right rescued him.
    “he starts calling him the mailman because he mails it in.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 1:18:56 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  16. career (career): Mark Ruffalo → The Kids Are All Right. Oscar nomination for The Kids Are All Right (2010) plus Marvel saved him.
    “Because he gets his Oscar nomination for the kids are all right.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 1:19:16 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

contrast (4)

  1. contrast (awards contrast): Mark Ruffalo → Willem Dafoe. Dafoe repeats what he has done before while Ruffalo breaks new ground, so Ruffalo's snub is odder.
    “whereas Ruffalo is doing something”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:23:15 · Sean Fennessey (0.55 sure it was them)
  2. contrast (contrast): Mark Ruffalo → Don Cheadle. Cheadle disappeared into Marvel and Showtime; Ruffalo kept things balanced.
    “essentially since being brought into Marvel, Don Sheetle has done 10 Marvel things and 2 Showtime series.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:41:33 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  3. contrast (contrast): Mark Ruffalo → Eric Bana. Banner interpretations: Bana bottled rage, Thornton nervy, Ruffalo sheepish and rumpled.
    “So, like, Bana is just like bottled rage. Right. Thorton is like nervy.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:17:58 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  4. contrast (contrast): Mark Ruffalo → Edward Norton. Norton made you want the Hulk out already; Ruffalo makes you feel for Banner.
    “Whereas like with Norton you're like, turn into the Hulk already.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:33:34 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

craft (5)

  1. craft (craft): Mark Ruffalo → Margaret. His New York specificity, as in Margaret, is unusual for an actor who is not from the city.
    “Like you look at shit like Margaret's, where you're just like, he really gets like New York specificity”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:48:45 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  2. craft (craft): Mark Ruffalo → You Can Count on Me. In You Can Count on Me Ruffalo catches a bug mid-monologue and keeps going, the spontaneity he describes.
    “a bug comes into frame and he like, or like a butterfly or something and he holds his hand out and like catches it on his hand and keeps on talking.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 1:23:12 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  3. craft (craft): Taylor Lautner → Mark Ruffalo. Lautner's padded wolf bodysuit is like Ruffalo's bizarre upper torso suit on Marvel sets, so co-stars' hands land right.
    “Ruffalo wears this, like, bizarre upper torso, you know?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Eclipse · 1:14:09 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  4. craft (craft): Robert Downey Jr. → Mark Ruffalo. Banner now dresses like Tony Stark.
    “now Bruce Banner just dresses like Tony Stark”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 0:42:41 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  5. craft (craft): Mark Ruffalo → Eric Bana. Bana's and Ruffalo's CGI Hulks stay tied to the actor psychologically or by face; Norton's does not.
    “The Ruffalo Hook thing nailed because he looks like Ruffalo and you really get that performance.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Incredible Hulk · 0:55:36 · Griffin or David (0.30 sure it was them)

lineage (1)

  1. lineage (lineage): Mark Ruffalo → Marlon Brando. Mumbly, natural, handsome newcomers get the Brando comparison; Ruffalo got it.
    “Well, he got the Brando talk.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:35:58 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)

people (1)

  1. people (people): Robert Downey Jr. → Mark Ruffalo. Downey personally lobbied Ruffalo, promising fun, money, and financing for his other movies.
    “It will let you get the other movies financed, which I think is what really pushed him over the edge.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:26:12 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

theme (1)

  1. theme (parallel role): Mark Ruffalo → Sterling K. Brown. Both play comic relief who force a realization on the lead, which is why one host wants both recognized.
    “Like they're comic relief, but they're also like a critical emotional turning point for the lead character.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:24:50 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

verdict (1)

  1. verdict (verdict): Mark Ruffalo → Dark Waters. Late cut for David's Best Actor: 'Hunchback of West Virginia'.
    “Hunchback of West Virginia.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Fifth Annual Blank Check Awards with Joe Reid (Ad-Free) · 0:51:52 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

what-if (2)

  1. what-if (what-if): Mark Ruffalo → Signs. Ruffalo was cast in the Joaquin Phoenix role in Signs but dropped out after a tumor in his ear.
    “And he had been cast in the Joaquin Phoenix role in signs.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:20:14 · Griffin Newman (0.60 sure it was them)
  2. what-if (what-if): Mark Ruffalo → Joaquin Phoenix. Ruffalo and Phoenix were the short list to replace Norton; Feige keeps courting Phoenix (Doctor Strange too) and Phoenix only did Joker because it was twisted.
    “Kevin Feige is always trying to get Joaquin Phoenix to do one of these movies.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:25:35 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

  1. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: Ruffalo says his first day with Gyllenhaal took 68 takes and he hoped Fincher was coming to fire him.
    “My favorite line, actually, is Ruffalo saying, like, I did my 1st day with 68 takes with Jake.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:03:20 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: Ruffalo, the actor who took to Fincher's system most, said he finally understood Fincher is taking a stab at immortality.
    “He says, I finally understood, quote, he's taking a stab at immortality, which I think is a really great line for Ruffalo.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:03:50 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  3. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: He hid his brain tumor from Hollywood and dropped out of films, so people thought he was torpedoing his career.
    “he doesn't want people to know that he's sick because it's still a time in Hollywood where people hold that against you.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:36:52 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  4. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: Jourdain heard his kids call him Papa and finds it very hot.
    “I heard that his kids call him Papa, which I also find very hot.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 0:40:41 · Jourdain Searles (0.80 sure it was them)
  5. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: His method-acting credo, read aloud: spontaneity and vulnerability are gold, and his style is a foot in the grave and one on a banana peel.
    “My style would be one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · In the Cut with Jourdain Searles (Ad-Free) · 1:22:02 · Griffin or David (unclear) (0.35 sure it was them)
  6. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: Ruffalo's career: Lonergan breakout, dropped out of Signs with an ear tumor, rom-com rut ('the mailman'), then Zodiac, Oscar nomination, and the Avengers call.
    “He's the Bill Pullman of rom-coms.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:22:41 · Griffin Newman (0.60 sure it was them)
  7. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: His agent told him to look out the window at 5:30 AM; a black car meant Comic-Con and the announcement as the Hulk, hours later.
    “if there's a black car parked outside, it's to take you to the airport to go to Comic-Con.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:26:22 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  8. fun, about Mark Ruffalo: Hulk finally looks like the actor; the transformation scene and purple shirt get praise at 1:15.
    “And for the 1st time, he looks like the actor.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:15:33 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)