It’s nice to be Mark Ruffalo
Activist actor offers up more movie magic in sequel to Now You See Me
Now You See Me 2 Opens Friday
By most accounts, Mark Ruffalo is one of the nicest guys in show business.
For one thing, he figures it takes less energy to be kind. “And I don’t know how people have time to be mean,” says the 48-year-old at a mid-Manhattan hotel.
Certainly, his easygoing personality and talent have served him well over his 25-year career. And the momentum continues.
Ruffalo earned his third Oscar nomination for his role as an investigative reporter in last year’s Spotlight. He’s the go-to Bruce Banner/ Hulk in the Marvel movies, including next year’s Thor: Ragnarok.
And, he returns to play FBI agent Dylan Rhodes in the sequel to Now You See Me, which turned out to be a surprise international hit in 2013.
Let’s say it was unexpected by everybody but Ruffalo.
“I’m surprised nobody has ever done a movie before quite like this,” he says .“Magic and heists and movies seem togo hand in hand. What’ s a movie other than a big magic trick?”
The sequel has the rogue Rhodes (Ruffalo) and the Four Horsemen magicians cabal (Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Jesse Eisenberg and Lizzy Caplan replacing Isla Fisher) being manipulated into pulling off another sting.
They are tricked by (Daniel Radcliffe), an apparent tech prodigy and illegitimate son of their previous target, the rich white-collar crook Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine).
Things get complicated, of course, especially when magic debunker Thaddeus Bradley( Morgan Freeman) shows up.
Like the first film, the second includes a message — this time concerning 21st-century privacy issues — to go along with the action and the comedy.
“Part of the reason the first one landed so well was that it was about looking for justice,” Ruffalo says. “If you can’t get justice in your real life, then at least you can have justice in the fantasy life.”
On set, the actor keeps it honest. In fact, his amiable side allowed him to be the perfect guide for newcomer Caplan.
“Mark’s amazing, and he made me feel so included,” she says of Ruffalo. He returns the compliment. “Lizzy’s so funny and so quick and totally charming,” Ruffalo says.
For key one-on-one moments with veteran Freeman in the sequel, the seniority situation was reversed, and it was Ruffalo in awe.
“That was a real blessing for me because in the first movie I only had a few scenes with Morgan, but for this I was so nervous,” he says.
Meanwhile, there is his activist side. Four years ago, he was one of the high-profile entertainers who joined protesters for the Occupy Wall Street movement. He was in the anti-fracking coalition that helped get the process banned from New York state. His motivation is simple. “I feel responsibility to my kids,” Ruffalo says of his three children. “I wanted to run away from activism but then I didn’t feel good about myself.”