MARK Ruffalo endured ‘six months of discomfort’ after both shedding AND gaining 2st to play twins in I Know This Much Is True.
The 52-year-old spoke with GQ magazine on his physical condition whilst filming the HBO series.
Playing two brothers of different weights, Ruffalo lost a stone and a half, before piling on a couple of stone to shoot the other scenes.
He explained: “I lost 20 pounds to play Dominick so I wouldn’t put on so much weight at [age] 52 to play Thomas. And that seemed like the healthiest way to do it.
“It was tough. I was never really comfortable at any point during the six months we were shooting.”
He added: “I was either really hungry all the time or I was so grossed out by the thought of food. I just couldn’t put another thing in my mouth.
The Avengers star also about commented on the physiological aspect of playing twins, one of which has schizophrenia.
Ruffalo expalined: “It’s scary and it’s mysterious and it’s all-encompassing. The amount of energy it takes to manage a life with it is profound.
“As an actor, I think it’s easy to approach someone who’s schizophrenic as “that’s their personality.”
He added: “And discerning what is personality and what is the mental difference that they’re dealing with is as deep and important an aspect as the mental illness itself.”
He also thanked his technical advisor Richard Weaton, who has been living with Schizophrenia for 30-40 years, who taught him well about what it is like to live with the illness.
When asked if he would like to be involved in another film investigating a big American issue, he opted for the Iraq war.
He revealed: “It’s been delved into a little bit, but probably what happened with the Iraq War and how we got there and why we were there and who designed that.
“It seems like America took a turn at that point and the world took a turn at that point that we’re all still dealing with in some way right now. “And I just feel like that set something hideous into motion and we’re all paying the price for it—not to mention just the moral cost of our nation.”