Enjoy Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner or The Incredible Hulk in the latest Hollywood blockbuster The Avengers as he battles alongside other Marvel characters for whats sure to be an action-packed movie.
Mark Ruffalo is best known as an indie-type actor who has appeared in romantic comedies like “13 Going on 30″ and “Date Night,” and most notably the critically acclaimed drama “The Kids Are All Right.” Some may also remember him from his role on the soap opera “One Life to Live.” So it might strike some as an odd choice for the nice guy to play mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner, who is capable of such anger it turns him into the Incredible Hulk, an enraged green monster. But maybe that’s the point. One review called Ruffalo’s portrayal in “The Avengers” “a revelation, turning Banner into a wry reservoir of calm ready to become a volcano.”
A wry reservoir of calm ready to become a volcano is a great description of Mark Ruffalo and as in another role he is playing as a community activist. He turns into a green giant in “The Avengers.” In real life, this actor is playing a role in the community as a green activist… or blue. His organization, Water Defense, works to stop natural gas drilling (fracking) and looks for cleaner alternatives. The 44-year-old told the May issue of Vogue, “I really consider myself an actor, but right now, I am driven to get this going and get people involved.”
On April 13, 2012 Water Defense released the first video of their new campaign Natural Gas Exxposed, a video series which documents the gas industry’s assault on American health and prosperity. The videos feature individuals on the front lines of the gas boom whose lives have been devastated by gas drilling, as well as experts debunking pro-natural gas propaganda.
“Gas companies like Exxon Mobile have filled the airwaves with television ads selling us the lie that natural gas is the answer to our energy needs. The reality is, if we don’t end America’s growing dependence on natural gas, the gas industry will ruin our communities, our health and our climate,” said Mark Ruffalo. “That’s why we’ve launched Natural Gas Exxposed; it’s a people-powered campaign to educate the public about this bridge fuel to nowhere.”
The first ad, “Home Invasion” deals with the destruction of property values, contamination in the homes, and sham royalties from gas leases. It also features residents of Dimock, PA, who were left without a source of water after Cabot Gas & Oil polluted their wells.
In the video, Dimock residents Craig and Julie Sauntner discuss their inability to sell their home, which is now worthless because it lacks a clean source of water. “I can’t sell my house. I tried,” said Craig Sautner.
“We’re industrial now,” adds Julie Sautner. “We live in an industrial zone.”
“It’s natural gas vs. the American Dream,” said Claire Sandberg, Executive Director of Water Defense. “People in rural areas have welcomed this industry with open arms, only to find their water contaminated, their homes rendered unsafe to occupy, their property values destroyed, and their communities left unrecognizable. Meanwhile, the gas industry is making billions of dollars by systematically evading responsibility. We can’t allow this kind of injustice to become our national energy policy.”
So, Mark Ruffalo has no reason to be blue about being green with the wonderful work he does in the community.
The Incredible Hulk character has had several big-screen attempts, with Eric Bana hulking out in 2003 and Ed Norton becoming the angry green giant in 2008. Director Joss Whedon wanted this version of Hulk to channel the sadness of Bill Bixby’s character from the popular 1970s TV series. Maybe this turn’s the charm.
The actor said in an interview with the Collider that he had to sign a six-movie deal when he came on to “The Avengers.” With the all the super reviews, and the whopping $185 million the movie has already made overseas, we may be seeing a lot more of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk.
