Despite playing a superhero in one of the highest-grossing franchises of all-time, Mark Ruffalo is still an actor who has not earned as many accolades as he deserves. Ruffalo may have four Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Academy Awards on his resume, but for the most part he seems to take on interesting roles in ensemble projects. This does not mean that Ruffalo does not have enough confidence in his own ability to play a protagonist, but that he’s passionate about telling complex stories that represent a significant number of people. Ruffalo delivered a devastating performance in HBO’s adaptation of the classic stage play The Normal Heart, which has been hailed as one of the greatest works of art ever made about the AIDS crisis and its impact on the LGBTQIA community.

What Is ‘The Normal Heart’ About?

Ruffalo stars in The Normal Heart as Ned Weeks, a public health advocate and gay rights proponent who was loosely based on the experiences of the play’s writer, Larry Kramer. At the height of the AIDS crisis, Weeks decides to start an advocacy group that spreads awareness about how HIV could be spread, and what gay men should do to protect themselves during this dangerous time. As the crisis starts to grow more impactful and more of his friends begin to die, Weeks becomes increasingly agitated about the lack of progress he’s made in getting the government involved, as he’s found many of the officials that he’s talked with to be deeply bigoted. Simultaneously, Weeks is also forced to deal with a personal tragedy, as his longtime partner Felix Turner (Matt Bomer) has found that he is HIV-positive. While Turner is a proponent of taking gradual steps forward by taking advantage of political allies, Weeks begins to question whether their group should take more drastic actions in order to shame those who refused to provide these dying men with the dignity that they deserve.

Ruffalo is able to capture the incredible passion of a man who has seen the best of his community, and becomes devastated by the tragedies that it has endured. While it is Weeks’ charisma and ability to connect with a crowd that has made him an effective leader, he also cares so deeply about those who he is working alongside that it has become a burden. Throughout the story, Weeks teams up with fellow advocates Bruce Niles (Taylor Kitsch), Tommy Boatwright (Jim Parsons), Mickey Marcus (Joe Mantello), and Craig Donnor (Jonathan Groff) to organize events and spread important public health information. Although Weeks’ leadership style is blunt and often quite abrasive, his greatest weakness is that he cannot help but be infuriated by the inherent cruelty of those that ignore science. Showing the significant differences between Weeks’ public persona and the personal struggles that he endures is what makes Ruffalo’s performance in The Normal Heart more compelling than a majority of biographical stories.

‘The Normal Heart’ Is Mark Ruffalo’s Most Vulnerable Performance

Ruffalo does a great job at exploring Weeks’ doomed romantic life, which is mostly due to the excellent chemistry he has with Bomer. The film spends just enough time showing a more normal period in their relationship that it becomes even more heartbreaking when Turner begins to suffer the most drastic symptoms of HIV. While there are many shocking moments in which named characters suffer abrupt deaths, it is just as gut-wrenching to watch Turner gradually lose the will to live as he loses control of his bodily functions. Ruffalo perfectly shows the heartbreaking position of being forced to watch a loved one slip away.

Given that he is also a respected stage actor with a significant number of acclaimed stage credits on his resume, Ruffalo is able to bring a level of intimacy to his performance in The Normal Heart that most other adaptations lack. The bulk of the film consists of long takes that are mostly dialogue, and Ruffalo is able to remain in character in order to make these scenes as authentic as possible. The AIDS crisis is undoubtedly one of the most significant events in American history, and Ruffalo’s heartfelt performance was the perfect tribute to the victims of this tragic era.