‘Poor Things’: The movie that placed Mark Ruffalo on a “razor’s edge of disaster”
Actors always face immense pressure to avoid being typecast. However, Mark Ruffalo encountered a uniquely challenging situation during his creative journey with Poor Things. Throughout his career, Ruffalo has taken on iconic roles, ranging from superheroes to romantic comedies and ambitious dramas. But it was in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things that he found himself questioning whether he was truly the right fit for the part.
The role in question was Duncan Wedderburn, the antagonist who propels Emma Stone’s Bella Baxter on her journey of self-actualisation. According to Ruffalo, the role demanded “an over-the-top comedic key”, a feat that he had yet to accomplish. But the script and the prospect of working with a seasoned director like Lanthimos were enough to make him say yes.
That didn’t mean Ruffalo was completely self-assured throughout the process, though. In fact, he continued to wrestle with doubts about whether he could convincingly portray this smarmy character, even after signing on. Aware of Lanthimos’ background in traditional theatre, which heavily influenced his filmography, Ruffalo knew the role would push him into physical comedy—territory he had never explored before. During pre-production, he had to establish and test the limits of the physical actions he would be performing onscreen, navigating this unfamiliar aspect of his craft.
Ruffalo, who is a fixture in popular culture, be it in films like 13 Going on 30, Now You See Me, and his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, needed to struggle with “self-doubt on a regular basis” when filming one of the most successful films of 2023. This battle with uncertainty ultimately imbued his performance with a very real sense of originality.
But Ruffalo also credits Lanthimos as his rock while filming. Inexperienced in this area, he relied solely on the director’s vision. During an interview with A.Frame, he recalled his experience with the movie as having “a certain energy and style to work, so I just leaned as hard into that as I could until Yorgos would say, ‘That’s enough,’ which he occasionally would, I really trusted that he wouldn’t lead me astray.”
Of course, Ruffalo does look fondly back on Poor Things, which he claims was “complete unadulterated, uninhibited fun”, even though, at the same time, he “always had the feeling that [he] was on the razor’s edge of disaster almost all the time.” This commitment could also explain why he scored a fourth nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ at the 96th Oscars.
Regarding his legacy as an actor, Ruffalo always loves the idea of “never having to be stuck as just one character or rely on just one style.” This is a testament to his eclectic choice of roles and his passion for breaking the conventions that often straddle an actor.
It is also a sign that the actor will always keep waiting for the other shoe to drop when given the chance to work with other like-minded and passionate individuals in the film industry. Or, in Ruffalo’s case, [spoiler alert] a piano waiting to be dropped on him. Though he flirted with uncertainty in the creative process, he pulled it off with aplomb in the end.
