In a recent interview on the SmartLess podcast, the 56-year-old actor disclosed that in 2001, doctors diagnosed him with a benign brain tumor situated behind his left ear. During the filming of The Last Castle, Ruffalo experienced an unusual premonition that prompted him to reach out to his doctor.
Describing the inexplicable dream, Ruffalo shared, “I just had this unusual dream. It wasn’t like any other dream I had ever had. It was just like, ‘You have a brain tumor.’ It wasn’t even a voice; it was just pure knowledge: ‘You have a brain tumor, and you have to deal with it immediately.’”
Despite lacking any prior symptoms, aside from an ear infection, Ruffalo admitted feeling "a sense of doom." Sharing his dream with an on-set doctor, a prompt CAT scan was ordered the same day, with reassurances that there was likely no cause for concern.
Upon receiving the results, Ruffalo learned of a "golf ball"-sized mass behind his left ear. The nature of the mass remained uncertain until a biopsy was performed. However, a new challenge emerged as Ruffalo's wife, Sunrise Coigney, was on the verge of giving birth to their first child. Worried about adding stress during her pregnancy, Ruffalo delayed sharing the news with her.
“I was just like, I can’t. She’s already like, ‘Oh god, him again? Does everything gotta be about him?’” Ruffalo quipped.
It wasn't until about a week after their son's birth that Ruffalo finally disclosed the news to his wife, who reacted emotionally to the frightening revelation.
Ruffalo recalled her tearful response, exclaiming, “I always knew you were gonna die young!”
Reflecting on the precarious situation, Ruffalo humorously noted, “If you wrote it in a script, it’d be too much.” The actor underwent successful surgery to remove the benign tumor, facing the risk of nerve damage and hearing loss.
“They said they had a 20 per cent chance of nicking a nerve on the left side of my face and killing it, and then I had a 70 per cent chance of losing my hearing,” he explained.
Ultimately, Ruffalo lost hearing in his left ear permanently, with temporary paralysis affecting the left side of his face. His plea during the ordeal was simple: “Take my hearing, let me keep the face, and just let me be the father of this kid.”
Approximately a year post-surgery, Ruffalo experienced a welcome development as he regained movement in the left side of his face.
In the years following his diagnosis, Ruffalo has risen to prominence in Hollywood. This week, he received his fourth Academy Award nomination, this time for Best Supporting Actor in the role of Duncan Wedderburn in Poor Things – a character he portrayed with gusto.
Ruffalo, now a father of three – son Keen, 22, and daughters Bella Noche, 18, and Odette, 16 – continues to navigate the challenges and triumphs that life brings his way.
