Inside Mark Ruffalo's Long History With Wrestling

Wrestling — be it amateur or professional — has become a well-known sport thanks to sporting events like World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the Olympics. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista may be the celebrity names that come to mind when thinking about wrestling. These celebrities first started in the ring and have expanded their career into different fields. Another celebrity that got his start through the heralded sport, but not on a big stage, is Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo, known for his portrayal as the Hulk, has had a strong passion for the sport since he was young.

Now, Ruffalo has played a collection of characters in films, but none compare to his Marvel role as the Hulk. Some fans may not know the actor might be more similar to his superhero character than they think. In wrestling, two opponents take the mat in what becomes a test of strength, conditioning, and mental fortitude. The MCU character, the Hulk, is known for battling foes with his super-strength and large demeanor. Like his character, Ruffalo has seen his fair share of battles over strength on the wrestling mat. According to his interview with USA Today, it was no easy feat for Ruffalo to wrestle. "You had to prove yourself. So, that became my first hurdle. Once I did that the community really opened up to me," he said. 

Ruffalo's passion for wrestling started as a child and has continued in the years that followed.

Passion for sports, art, and more can start at a young age. Kids will participate in activities that they find enjoyable and represent them, and for Mark Ruffalo, that was wrestling. Ruffalo got his start in wrestling when he was a young boy in junior high, according to USA Today. Just like any kid who admires their parents, Ruffalo's passion for wrestling may have been due to his father. Ruffalo's father had also participated in wrestling when he was a young kid; the star's father even went on to be a state wrestling champion, per USA Today.

Because Ruffalo started as a young boy he hadn't built the body that many would think of when it comes to a wrestler. Ruffalo saw a drastic change in his weight from when he first started the sport. The actor told the outlet he went from weighing a mere 83 pounds to a strong 112 pounds. Strength only built when the "Avengers" star continued the sport throughout high school. Ruffalo was so good at the sport that he had the opportunity to continue in college, but he ended up finding another passion.

As a senior in high school, Ruffalo decided to take up acting. He participated in a production of "West Side Story" at his school (via Britannica). After that performance, the actor never looked back and fully pursued acting.

Many people may not know that Mark Ruffalo has dealt with serious struggles throughout his life. The actor's family struggled financially, and although Ruffalo had the opportunity to get a scholarship in wrestling, he still decided to go after acting (via Men's Journal). Ruffalo did learn a lot from the sport and applied some of the principles to his acting career.

The actor shared with USA Today, "Many of the qualities I learned in wrestling became deeply needed for the job I have now. I think it helped me a lot during the years I struggled, that determination and perseverance." Boy, did his perseverance payout, Ruffalo earned nominations for several Academy Awards and is now known as one of Marvel's most iconic characters, the Hulk.

Unexpectedly for Ruffalo, wrestling also prepared him for a role in more ways than just perseverance. He landed a role as the late Dave Schultz, an Olympic wrestler, for the film "Foxcatcher." Because he hadn't wrestled for quite some time, the actor had to brush up on his wrestling skills for the film. Ruffalo shared, "I had to relearn everything because he [Schultz] predominantly led with his left, so that was the most frustrating thing, trying to relearn what I thought I already knew." The actor did have plenty of support — especially from his wife, Sunrise, who called it "awesome," per Men's Journal, when Ruffalo expressed returning to the mat.