”Mark Alan Ruffalo” (born November 22, 1967) is an American actor known for portraying Bruce Banner/Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films.
Early Life and Career
Ruffalo was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He began acting in the late 1980s and had his breakthrough role in 2000’s You Can Count on Me. Ruffalo went on to star in films like Collateral (2004), Zodiac (2007), and The Kids Are All Right (2010), earning two Academy Award nominations for his work.
Casting as Bruce Banner/Hulk
In 2012, Ruffalo was cast as Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk in The Avengers, replacing Edward Norton from the 2008 film. Director Joss Whedon felt Ruffalo embodied Banner’s warm, introspective personality and ability to turn into the rage-filled HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More.
Portrayal of Hulk in the MCU
As HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More, Ruffalo portrayed Banner’s shy, intellectual character which contrasts with the green monster’s destructive anger. Ruffalo played the role using motion capture acting to convey the Hulk’s facial expressions and body movements.
| Movie | Release Date | Box Office Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Avengers | May 4, 2012 | $1.519 billion | Debut as Bruce Banner/Hulk |
| Iron ManIron Man is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. ... More 3 | May 3, 2013 | $1.215 billion | Cameo as Bruce Banner |
| Avengers: Age of Ultron | May 1, 2015 | $1.405 billion | – |
| ThorThor Odinson is a fictional superhero from Marvel Comics and... More: Ragnarok | Nov 3, 2017 | $854 million | Co-starred as Bruce Banner/Hulk |
| Avengers: Infinity War | April 27, 2018 | $2.048 billion | – |
| Avengers: Endgame | April 26, 2019 | $2.798 billion | Conclusion of Hulk’s story arc |
| She-Hulk | 2023 | TBD | Set to cameo as Bruce Banner and his son, Skaar |
- Ruffalo’s debut as HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More in The Avengers was a critical and commercial success. He was the third actor to portray Banner/Hulk after Eric Bana and Edward Norton.
- His cameo in Iron ManIron Man is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. ... More 3 was uncredited.
- Ragnarok represented a change as HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More remained in HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More form for much of the film.
- Endgame completed his character arc as he is shown having reconciled HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More and Banner into “Professor HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More.”
- Ruffalo is confirmed to make a cameo appearance in the She-Hulk Disney+ series.
He continued playing Banner/Hulk in:
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015),
- ThorThor Odinson is a fictional superhero from Marvel Comics and... More: Ragnarok (2017),
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018),
- and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Ruffalo’s performance received acclaim for capturing Banner’s internal conflict and showcasing the character’s increasing acceptance of his HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More side.
Impact on the MCU
Ruffalo’s nuanced performance enhanced the character depth of the HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More, making the dichotomy between Banner and his monstrous alter-ego more complex. His popularity as HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More led to a new trilogy of HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More films being considered.
As one of the MCU’s most recognizable actors, Mark Ruffalo’s supporting yet pivotal role as the tormented HulkHulk is a fictional superhero created by Marvel Comics. He f... More added gravitas and emotional impact to the Avengers storyline across multiple films.
