The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago brought in two-time Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo to host a dinner at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago June 6.
Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips covered Ruffalo's dynamic career with a Q&A segment. Both men are from Kenosha, Wisconsin, along with several others in attendance such as father Frank Ruffalo, who was also in the film Foxcatcher ( with Mark ). Starting with his humble beginnings, he went from wrestling men on the mat in high school to being bitten by the acting bug and leaving the team for theater.
While this talented chameleon has played some blockbuster parts, most recently in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, it was the indie roles that really stood out in his long career. Several rounds of film clips included 54, You Can Count on Me, Zodiac and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He explained that playing the sperm-donor dad for a lesbian couple in The Kids Are All Right was based on a brother who passed away. He spoke of the strong women in that cast and described himself as a feminist, to cheers from the crowd.
He covered technique and putting other actors at ease while filming scenes. Ruffalo explained that he finds real-life people more interesting than ones written on the page. His humanitarian work covering the environment was mentioned plus some uncomfortable moments about his past brain tumor where he lost some facial expressions and hearing in one ear.
One emotional clip centered on the award-winning HBO AIDS production The Normal Heartwhich was then followed by his CGI Hulk acting in The Avengers.
Ruffalo was asked, "What do you know in life, for sure?"
"Love is the answer," he replied.
How can one not love the guy? He even stood patiently to draw each winning name at the charity raffle and met with Windy City Times briefly to say hello.
The evening ended with a presentation of the Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award to Ruffalo by SAIC president Dr. Walter E. Massey.
Raising more than $400,000 this time out, the annual event has brought in such Hollywood heavy-hitters as Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. in the past.
For more information on the organization, including movie showtimes, visit www.siskelfilmcenter.org .