In a candid revelation on the latest episode of the SmartLess podcast, Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo, 56, opened up about a life-altering chapter in his past – a battle with a benign vestibular schwannoma, a type of brain tumor, in 2001.
The star of "The Poor Things" recounted that the diagnosis came at a time of professional success, following the release of "You Can Count on Me." Ruffalo revealed that he became aware of the tumor through an unusual and vivid dream that left him with an unshakable sense of urgency.
"It wasn't like any other dream I'd 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,'" Ruffalo shared during the podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett.
Driven by the intensity of the dream and an overwhelming feeling of doom, Ruffalo decided to consult a doctor. At that point, his only noticeable symptom was an ear infection. However, a CAT scan revealed a mass the size of a golf ball behind his left ear.
The Avengers star described the surreal moment when he received the diagnosis, stating, "You have a mass behind your left ear the size of a golf ball, and we don’t know what it is. We can’t tell until it’s biopsied."
Despite the benign nature of the tumor, Ruffalo faced the difficult decision of undergoing surgery to remove it. Keeping the diagnosis a secret from his wife, Sunrise Coigney, who was on the brink of giving birth to their first child, added another layer of complexity to his journey.
Ruffalo finally revealed the truth to Coigney a week after their son Keen was born, just before meeting with a neurologist to discuss the treatment plan. The emotional toll of the revelation was palpable, with Ruffalo recounting, "When I told Sunny about it, first she thought I was joking. And then she just burst into tears and said, 'I always knew you were gonna die young.'"
The surgery to remove the tumor carried risks, including a 20 percent chance of damaging the nerve on the left side of Ruffalo's face and a 70% chance of losing hearing in his left ear. Post-surgery, he faced temporary paralysis on the left side of his face, a condition that lingered for a year.
Reflecting on the aftermath, Ruffalo acknowledged the impact on his life, saying, "[I am] completely deaf in one ear, and when I woke up, the left side of my face was paralyzed. I couldn’t even close my eyes. I was talking out the side of my mouth."
Despite the challenges, Ruffalo's determination and resilience shone through. Today, he continues to live with hearing loss but remains grateful for the life he shares with his wife and three children – son Keen, now 22, and daughters Bella Noche and Odette.
