Mark Ruffalo Almost Rejected Oscar-Worthy Role as It Could Have Ruined His Wholesome Public Image
Mark Ruffalo is garnering Oscar buzz for his villainous turn in Yorgos Lanthimos’ eccentric new film Poor Things, but the actor was initially reluctant to take on the heinous role. Ruffalo plays Duncan Wedderburn, a narcissistic and misogynistic Victorian-era lawyer who preys upon a young woman (Emma Stone) in the film.
How Did Mark Ruffalo Prepare for His First Villain Role?
In the recent Actor’s Round Table with Los Angeles Times, Mark Ruffalo admitted he feared the role could sully his wholesome public image.
“I had some reluctance in taking this part,” Ruffalo explained. “What’s the world gonna think about me playing this total narcissistic, selfish, misogynistic lout who’s basically preying on this young woman?”
Ruffalo said the morally bankrupt character was something “you get instantly canceled for.” But peer pressure from co-star Willem Dafoe and the appeal of such a complex antihero ultimately won out. While known for playing the anger-prone Hulk in the Marvel films, Poor Things marks Ruffalo’s first outright villain role.
“I had never really done anything like this before,” Ruffalo admitted of portraying the reprehensible Wedderburn.
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The character’s heinous misdeeds are central to Lanthimos’ twisted Victorian tale, which features the director’s trademark absurdist touches. Ruffalo credits Dafoe for encouraging him to lean into the darkness of the troublesome role.
“Willem’s like, ‘Have some fun, man. This is what we get to do. All the things you never get to do in life,” said Ruffalo.
While nerve-racking, Ruffalo found tackling such a multifaceted antagonist exhilarating.
“It was a blast. It was all the things that you can’t do in life, like, everyone you get cancelled for. But also that [Wedderburn] falls apart. That he can’t maintain that.”
Is Mark Ruffalo’s Risky Role About to Pay Off?
Ruffalo’s bold turn in Poor Things is earning career-best reviews and early awards season buzz. He and co-star Emma Stone have already garnered Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations for their performances.
For an actor accustomed to playing heroic nice guys, Ruffalo’s convincing transition into a vile Victorian scoundrel may catch Academy voters’ eyes come Oscar nomination time. After years of starring in crowd-pleasing blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame, Ruffalo’s overdue for some serious awards recognition. And Poor Things could provide the unconventional vehicle to finally drive home that Oscar win.
Time will tell whether Ruffalo’s fans will embrace or reject his nasty turn in Poor Things. The actor has cultivated a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most earnest and outspoken activists, known for his environmentalism and social justice advocacy. Will audiences accustomed to Ruffalo’s puppy dog persona accept him as the irredeemable monster Wedderburn?
