Mark Ruffalo Almost Retired From Acting Before Landing Marvel Role

Mark Ruffalo says he quietly stepped away from acting in 2010 after directing Sympathy for Delicious. He left his agent and manager and intended to focus on directing, describing how much he loved the experience. That plan changed with the release of The Kids Are Alright, in which Ruffalo played Paul Hatfield, an organic-restaurant owner who was the anonymous sperm donor for a lesbian couple.

The film earned strong reviews, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and led to his casting as Bruce Banner / The Hulk in The Avengers; he was officially cast on Jul. 24, 2010, two weeks after The Kids Are Alright opened. 2010 was a turning point: both Sympathy for Delicious and The Kids Are Alright premiered at Sundance that January, while Shutter Island and Date Night, filmed in 2009, had been slated as some of his final films.

mark ruffalo, acting, directing, the avengers, bruce banner, the hulk, academy award, supporting actor, sundance, 2010