In an interview with Men’s Journal, Mark Ruffalo opened up about how his brother’s death five years ago still affects him.
Scott Ruffalo, a popular hairdresser in Beverly Hills, was murdered at home on December 1, 2008 at the age of 39. His brother Mark, famously known for his role as Bruce Banner in the 2012 film “The Avengers,” has not forgotten.
“You never get over it; you just get used to it,” Ruffalo said in an interview in the June Issue of Men’s Journal.
“You get calloused, a little bit harder maybe, so be on guard for that,” he says, speaking to other men about loss and grieving. “But take these tragic things and turn them into something meaningful and worthy of the loss. Make it count.”
Without Scott’s influence, Ruffalo doesn’t believe he would ever have become the Hollywood star he is.
“I was the actor pushing 30 and still doing 30-seat theaters,” he said, “and he was the mayor of Beverly Hills. For years, people would meet me and go, ‘You’re Scotty Ruffalo’s brother? I love your brother. He’s f—king amazing.'”
Ruffalo, since his brother’s death, has taken on film roles that are reminiscent of Scott, of the incredible man that he was, like his 2010 role in “The Kids Are Alright.”
“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.”
Photo: Matt Sayles/AP