Mark Ruffalo and his late brother moved to LA to achieve their dreams when they were in their early teens.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on June 18, 2021. It has since been updated.
Losing a loved one is one of the toughest experiences one can ever go through. Though many say time heals, the struggle to overcome the pain and grief of not having your dearest one by your side may take longer than one might anticipate.
Actor Mark Ruffalo lost his loving brother Scott in 2008. As per MamaMia, Scott was found with a gunshot wound on his head at his home on December 1, 2008. A week after he was found, Scott succumbed to his injury.
Though Scott was found with cocaine and morphine in his system, the case was considered to be homicide by the police. The death which remains a mystery even today created an inexplicable void in Ruffalo's life.
He said, "You never get over it; you just get used to it. You get calloused, a little bit harder maybe, so be on guard for that. But take these tragic things and turn them into something meaningful and worthy of the loss. Make it count," according to US Magazine.
Ruffalo and his brother moved to Los Angeles in their late teens hoping to create a success story for themselves. In their early days, the duo struggled and shared an apartment in MacArthur Park. While Ruffalo auditioned for parts in movies, his brother did everything he could to start his career as a hairdresser. "They were like little bear cubs together. They dug a 20-foot koi pond, lily pads, and everything — in South Central L.A.!" recalled the actor's mother, Marie Rose.
Ruffalo, on the other hand, reminisced the shared times with his late sibling. "He'd make a f–king giant bowl of tuna pasta, and we'd eat off that all week long. The best of times, the worst of times," he said.
After Scott's death, Ruffalo took a break from Hollywood. He moved with his wife and three kids to upstate New York. “My brother passing away was the final thing that kicked me over,” said Ruffalo, according to The Telegraph.
He further stated that it reminded him of the uncertainty of life. “It reminded me that life is short and you’d better do what you want while you have a chance," said the actor.
Having gone through a difficult childhood, financial instability, and professional struggles, Ruffalo wondered how much more agony he could handle.
“For a long time, I felt like someone had it in for me. With every new adversity, I protested – almost to God – ‘How much more of this do I have to take?'” said Ruffalo. Fortunately, he mustered the courage and returned back to the industry.
Later, the 53-year-old actor revealed that he took his role in the movie The Kids Are Alright as it reminded him of his brother. "His charm, his spirit, his sense of humor, his daring. How great he was with women. How he sort of devoured life. I'm only capturing a tiny glimpse of him. But I think it ended up honoring him in a really nice way. He was a beautiful guy," said the actor.
Today, Ruffalo's antidote to his pain is the great memories he has of his brother.
References:
https://www.mamamia.com.au/mark-ruffalo-brother/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/8345218/Oscars-2011-Mark-Ruffalo-interview.html
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Amy Sussman
