Full confession: I don’t like comic books. So take my enjoyment of The Avengers as a ringing endorsement. It’s easily the best blockbuster comic book movie in years, maybe ever. Writer/director Joss Whedon fills the screen with characters both larger than life and relatable, action that is exciting and beautiful, and a plot that is, while not entirely logical, pretty damn smart.

Though the movie brings Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) back from previous franchise entries, it features a brand new Hulk: indie icon Mark Ruffalo. Though Ruffalo’s track record (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Shutter Island, The Kids Are All Right) has made him a familiar face to the average moviegoer, The Avengers is undoubtedly the biggest project he’s worked on yet. Shortly before the film’s Toronto premiere we spoke with the actor about making this big leap.

The Avengers is a big-budget action movie, with a great ensemble cast. How do you maintain that character rapport with so much going on?

Joss Whedon is really a “small movie” director. He focuses on character development, writing and not making huge leaps in the story. His worlds are all fully realized. Because of that The Avengers is almost like an indie movie, with a bigger craft services budget and more special effects. But all the dramatic parts of the movie are very relatable, very human. He’s a great “actor’s director” ... I’ve worked with a lot of directors like that but Joss rates top for me as far as that goes.

The movie is getting great reviews. Considering the built-in fanbase it already has, was that kind of support something you were hoping for as well?


For a long time, [critical feedback] was more important to me but that was just heartbreaking. It made me lose sight of why I love acting. A few years ago I decided the experience of making the movie was the most important thing, personally. That being said when someone read [Rolling Stone critic] Peter Travers’ review out loud I was like [meekly] “OK, that’s dope ... that feels nice.” Good reviews definitely help the [press] process because I can talk with you guys about a movie you actually like instead of trying to convince you to like it for 20 minutes.

You’re the third big-screen Hulk in 10 years. Did you intentionally try to do something different than Eric Bana and Edward Norton?

I had an advantage over them in that technology has brought us to a place where the actor can actually play The Hulk [with motion-capture.] We tried to make him as human as possible, to make the audience feel his anger and that’s comes as much from ILM as me or anyone else.

In playing [alter ego] Bruce Banner, Joss was very sensitive to the fact that Cobie Smulders [Agent Maria Hill] and I are his only new additions to the team. So he’s like “Buddy, I want you to score. You’re the only thing I’m adding to the mix, here.” But we still saw it as a continuation of the past Hulk movies, which I loved. I think Bana and Norton were great, I’m just playing a Banner who is older, more mature, a guy who’s been on the run for a long time. He’s gotten to a place in his life where he’s ready to deal with his situation with an ironic sense of humour.

Did you enjoy shooting the character driven scenes as Banner?

My favourite scenes were generally the ones where I got to talk to people [Laughs.] When I get to do some real acting, and it was fun to have all of us gathered together. His introduction scene in Calcutta, I loved that. And everything with Robert Downey Jr. – the relationship between his character and mine is really cool. 


How did you find being in the motion-capture suit?

The closest I came to actually becoming the Hulk was being in that suit, hot and sweaty, totally embarrassed ... all the places on your body you want to look big look small and all the places you want to look small look big ... I was like, “TURN THAT FUCKING THING OFF! I’m sorry, I don’t usually get angry but there is such a thing as movie magic that has to be maintained here. Let’s keep the mystery alive!”

The one improvised moment that got into the film was in that man-canceling leotard. I’m standing over Iron Man’s [wounded] body and I let out a ROAR! and Robert looks up at me and just goes “Really?” [Laughs.] It was my first day on set and my sphincter muscle just ... yeah.  

This is your first big action movie. Have you developed a taste for it now?

Sure, but honestly I don’t have a plan [for my career.] The biggest misconception about actors is that we actually get to choose the things we do. But it was fun, I really liked it. I just finished a movie with The Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier [Now You See Me] and that was great, I’m just thinking I’m getting too old for it.

With this role you had to sign a six-picture deal to reprise the character in future movies. Were you apprehensive about that?

They wanted nine! But I sat down and did the math: another Thor, another Captain America, another Iron Man, probably another Avengers down the line. A few years in between each – do they really want a 70-year-old Hulk? They’ll probably get three out of me before they get tired of me.

If the previous franchise films hadn’t been made and all the Avengers roles were suddenly up for grabs, which do you think you would have taken?

Could I be a girl?

Sure ...

Black Widow! Her storyline, all the hand-to-hand combat she does, so great. They should really do a Black Widow spin-off movie. Other than that probably Loki. Such a fucking great part.

The Avengers hits theatres everywhere Friday May 4.

Related: TORO Talks to Mark Ruffalo
Related: Interview with Cobie Smulders