Mark Ruffalo Says He ‘Literally Begged’ Kenneth Lonergan for Breakout Role

January 24, 2024 @ 4:06 PM

Mark Ruffalo’s breakout role in Kenneth Lonergan’s “You Can Count on Me” practically really did not occur.

In a Monday meeting with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett on their “Smartless” podcast, the “Poor Things” Oscar candidate remembered “literally begging” the popular dramatist and filmmaker for the role of Terry in the 2000 attribute– although it was at first supplied to Ethan Hawke.

Ruffalo had actually formerly worked with Lonergan’s smash hit Broadway manufacturing of “This Is Our Youth” in 1996 with costars Missy Yager and Josh Hamilton, so he had a leg to base on when requiring a tryout with Lonergan for his launching attribute movie.

Retelling the event on “Smartless,” Ruffalo claimed that he was out to lunch in New york city City with Lonergan when they faced Ethan Hawke, that was evidently eligible for the lead role in “You Can Count on Me.” Ruffalo claimed it captured him by shock when Lonergan asked Hawke if he had actually checked out the manuscript.

” We began to go out and I resembled, ‘What script?!’ Ruffalo claimed.

To listen to Ruffalo inform it, Hawke had not been interested: “I just did this other thing that’s basically the same character, so it’s good, bro – it’s not for me right now,” the “Before Sunrise” celebrity claimed at the time.

“And I was like, ‘Can I read it?’” Ruffalo remembered asking Lonergan, that hesitated to allow him toss his hat in the ring, regardless of their existing partnership.

“‘Just don’t get your f–king manager on me,’” Lonergan claimed, according to Ruffalo, that included: “And finally, he acquiesced.”

Ruffalo claimed Lonergan was worried that he really did not look comparable sufficient to his “You Can Count on Me” onscreen sibling Laura Linney. However despite those worries, Lonergan offered him a shot.

Additional stating the tryout procedure on “Smartless,” Ruffalo claimed he strolled right into the spreading workplace days later on which it really did not take lengthy for Lonergan to be amazed. With a cam in one hand and his manuscript in the various other, a begrudging Lonergan was hooked on the initial take. They promptly did the 2nd.

Ruffalo giggled bearing in mind exactly how to Lonergan’s shame, he in fact toenailed the tryout and obtained the role that would certainly become his job breakout.

“That was really good. Goddammit. You might be good in this part,” Lonergan claimed. “You’re really f–king good in this. Just great.”

Pay attention fully podcast meeting with Ruffalo below. His tale regarding “You Can Count on Me” starts around the 17-minute mark as Bateman and he share their love of Linney, that costarred with Bateman on Netflix’s “Ozark.”