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When Poor Things first came Mark Ruffalo’s way, he did what many actors would never dare to do. He tried to wiggle out of it. Yes, Ruffalo actually wanted to turn down the part of Duncan Wedderburn, the eccentric lawyer with a ‘70s stache and a boatload of ego.
Let’s rewind. Poor Things, featuring Emma Stone as freshly revived Bella Baxter and Willem Dafoe as her eccentric scientist guardian, comes from Alasdair Gray’s 1992 book.
Helmed by Yorgos Lanthimos (yep, the genius behind The Favourite), the movie’s already stirred up a storm, snagging two Golden Globes and tons of Oscar chatter. But behind the glitter and gothic visuals, Ruffalo was having a major crisis of confidence.
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“I was like, ‘Yorgos, I don’t think I’m the right person for this,’” Ruffalo shared in The Hollywood Reporter’s actor roundtable. “I tried to talk him out of it, and he just laughed at me.”
When Mark Ruffalo Felt Boxed In by Hollywood Casting
It wasn’t just the mustache or the sleaze factor that spooked him. Mark Ruffalo’s used to playing the sensitive, tortured types (like Hulk). So, stepping into the shoes of a wildly narcissistic, over-the-top character was a major curveball.
“In the movie business, you start to feel like you’re in a box sometimes. I had never played anything like that, and I was scared,” he admitted. Can you blame him? Duncan Wedderburn isn’t just loud and flamboyant.
It’s a role that could’ve gone full cringe in the wrong hands. But Yorgos apparently saw something Ruffalo didn’t. And thank the film gods, he did.
Wedderburn may be awful on paper, but on screen, impossible to look away from. Ruffalo dove headfirst into the character’s bizarre world, and audiences couldn’t get enough. The film follows Bella as she ditches her twisted past and hits the road (and sky, and sea) with Wedderburn, exploring freedom, pleasure, and what it means to be alive, especially as a woman.
Ruffalo’s character becomes a wild but oddly fitting part of her evolution. Despite his early doubts, Ruffalo ended up owning the role. And with Poor Things sweeping awards season discussion, it’s clear the risk paid off.
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