Mark Ruffalo was faced with a heartbreaking family tragedy in 2008. The actor, revered for his performances in Poor Things - for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, and All The Light We Cannot See, learned that his beloved brother and hairstylist, Scott Ruffalo, had been murdered. To this day, the case remains unsolved.
© GettySpeaking to Men's Journal in 2017, Mark, 55, opened up about the unimaginable loss of his younger brother, telling the publication: "You never get over it; you just get used to it. You get calloused, a little bit harder maybe, so be on guard for that. But take these tragic things and turn them into something meaningful and worthy of the loss. Make it count."
© GettyScott Ruffalo was 39 when he was shot in the head at his condo in Beverly Hills, on December 1 2008. Reports have characterized the shooting as "execution style."
Following the shooting, the well-known hairdresser, who had worked at salons in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, was transported to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Beverly Hills Police Sergeant, Renato Moreno.
Sadly, Scott succumbed to his injuries a week later. At the time, two people were arrested in connection with the shooting, however, no one has ever been charged. One of the key witnesses in the case was later reported to have died of a drug overdose.
In an interview with ABCNews.com, Scott's attorney James Leger, spoke highly of his former client, stating: "He was a guy who really wanted to do things right, as far as I was concerned. He is one of the easiest clients I have. He's 100 percent above board and would go overboard to make sure everything is done right."
READ: Celebrity deaths: Remembering the stars who died in 2023
Mark has also opened up about his close relationship with his brother Scott, whom he described as a "beautiful guy".
© SkySpeaking about how loved the 39-year-old was, Mark told Men's Journal: "I was the actor pushing 30 and still doing 30-seat theaters, and he was the mayor of Beverly Hills. For years, people would meet me and go, 'You're Scotty Ruffalo's brother? I love your brother. He's [expletive] amazing.'"
In the period that followed Scott's death, Mark was handed the script to The Kids Are All Right, and after noting the similarities between the character of Paul, and his late brother, the actor took on the role to pay homage to his sibling. "His charm, his spirit, his sense of humor, his daring. How great he was with women. How he sort of devoured life. I'm only capturing a tiny glimpse of him," said Mark. "But I think it ended up honoring him in a really nice way. He’s a beautiful guy. He was a beautiful guy."
