Mr. Will Wong, Toronto Entertainment Blogger

INTERVIEW: MARK RUFFALO & COBIE SMULDERS ON “THE AVENGERS”

January 01, 2012
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Toronto was lucky enough to host the Canadian Premiere for Marvel’s The Avengers and after doing a busy day of Press, Stars Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk/Bruce Banner) and Cobie Smulders (Agent Maria Hill) graced a Fan and Media-lined Red Carpet at Scotiabank Theatre.

Despite running a bit behind, Oscar-nominated Ruffalo navigated the Carpet with great prowess, balancing his time between Outlets and Fans, spending a gracious amount of time signing Autographs and posing for Photos. Dressed a perfectly-tailored Suit and looking in fine form, the Actor is embracing his increasingly-distinguished looks, sporting a few new gray hairs since I last met him in 2008 at TIFF.

For the first-time ever on-screen, Marvel’s The Avengers brings together Superheroes The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth), joining them as one force in a fight to save Earth from the ruthless Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Although at this time I am unable to post a Review of the Film, I can say that Joss Whedon masterfully interweaves several complex Superheroes’ stories here in an explosive Spectacle.

With the likes of Lou Ferrigno, Eric Bana and Edward Norton having once filled the role of iconic (and destructive) Superhero The Hulk, I asked Ruffalo what unique traits he will be bringing to the table in Marvel’s The Avengers. “I’m not sure”, he tells me humbly. “The one advantage I have is that I am the first Actor to play both Bruce Banner and The Hulk, so I hope that brings him alive in ways which CGI alone couldn’t.”.

Vancouver-born How I Met Your Mother Star Smulders returns to Canadian Soil after now being based out of the U.S. and ventures for the first time ever into an Action-Blockbuster, training vigorously to do her own stunts as Agent Maria Hill, who despite not being an Avenger, still plays an integral role to the Movie’s Plot.

Smulders does admit to being a bit starstruck working with this Cast of Megastars. In particular though, it was Robert Downey Jr. who made working on the Film most exciting for her. “Wouldn’t he make you starstruck?”, she asks me. “I love Less than Zero and I’ve watched him for a really long time.”. After seeing her sport a Tim Hortons Coffee Cup earlier in the day, I offered the Actress two choices: Starbucks or Tim Hortons. Without hesitation she giggles, “Tim Hortons. I’ve had two Double-Doubles today already!”. True Blue Canadian, right there.

As an added surprise Singer/Songwriter Lights, who is a self-professed Comic Book Geek, made an appearance on the Red Carpet after having longed to see Marvel’s The Avengers for quite some time now. Like Smulders, she also has affections for Robert Downey Jr. too, rooting most for Iron Man, although being a Woman, she cannot help but have a place in her heart for The Black Widow.

Watch Clips of my Interviews with Ruffalo, Smulders and Lights below: