Mark Ruffalo: ‘The entire American system is rife with white privilege racism’

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As we discussed yesterday, Mark Ruffalo was in London to premiere and support Spotlight. He’s already gotten BAFTA and Oscar nominations for his work in the film, and many think that Spotlight is inching ahead of The Revenant in the Best Picture race. Ordinarily, it would be a great year for Ruffalo. But while in London, he was asked in interview after interview about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and whether he’ll boycott the awards show. He spoke to the Press Association on Wednesday (which I covered yesterday) about the issue, and I thought he came across like a thoughtful and compassionate ally. Then on Thursday, Ruffalo spoke to BBC Breakfast about the situation, and he seemed to indicate that he was thinking about boycotting.

Charlie Stayt broached the topic by asking for Mark Ruffalo’s thoughts on the state of “black representation” within this year’s crop of nominees.

“It isn’t just the Academy Awards,” Ruffalo, 48, said. “The entire American system is rife with white privilege racism. It goes into our justice system.”

The Foxcatcher actor added that he’s been thinking about joining Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith and Spike Lee in boycotting the awards show as well.

“I’m weighing it, yes. That’s where I’m at right now,” Ruffalo said. “I woke up in the morning thinking, ‘What is the right way to do this?’ Because if you look at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, what he was saying was the good people who don’t act are much worse than the wrongdoers who are purposely not acting and don’t know the right way.”

[From Us Weekly]

After that prompted a rash of headlines claiming “Mark Ruffalo considers boycotting the Oscars,” he took to his Twitter to clear up his point of view:

First point: “I will be going to the Oscars in support of the victims of clergy Sexual Abuse and good journalism” is inadvertently hilarious, because it sounds like he’s supporting the victims of good journalism. Second point: I do think it’s a little bit white-savior-y for Mark Ruffalo to be like “it’s about #BlackLivesMatter and criminal justice reform too!” But even then, I can’t hate. He’s not trying to be the face of a movement, he’s just trying to be a proactive and supportive ally. And honestly, as we’ve seen time and time again, Academy voters really are that out of touch and many of them don’t see a correlation with criminal justice, #BlackLivesMatter, or #OscarsSoWhite.

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Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

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86 Responses to “Mark Ruffalo: ‘The entire American system is rife with white privilege racism’”

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  1. ncboudicca says:

    The MLK quote is spot-on and appropriate. Marry me, Mark Ruffalo.

    • L says:

      I think I’m in line before you, so we might have to go to the mat for this guy.

      • joan says:

        He’s a lovely, lovely human being and adorable too. So much respect for the way he conducts himself.

    • Pinky says:

      He gets better every day.

    • Abbess Tansy says:

      I know what you mean, I just love this man.

    • Jayna says:

      Back up, women. I’ve always been at the head of the line on this site where Mark is concerned. LOL

    • Alex says:

      On anyone else it would seem eye roll worthy but Mark is consistent in his views and shining a spotlight on different issues BLM being one of them.

      So continue on Mark. I’m such a fan

    • H says:

      I think you will have to fight RDJ and me for Mark. I love a smart guy, and the grey in his hair?!

    • FLORC says:

      The message is all about apathy/indifference and it’s a message that goes way back.
      Martin Neimoller, MLK jr., Boondock Saints Priest…..
      It’s a strong message and a decent example here of why apathy is so dangerous. Dangerous from what can come of it and how easily we can settle into it.

      And Mark. You don’t have to keep giving me reasons to adore you. I already do! *swoons*

    • sanders says:

      I’ve liked him as an actor for awhile, since his role in that film with Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me. one of my all time favs. And I’m usually not a fan of actors, follow directors and writers more.
      I give him +++++points for using the term white privilege. I think it indicates a deeper consciousness regarding issues of racism. Unusual for an actor to have that level of knowledge.

  2. Crumpet says:

    Feel free to educate me, but I thought Black Lives Matter had gotten crazy out of control, with their urges to “kill the pigs” etc.

    Yes, the American system is geared totally toward white people, but hopefully this is going to change as our country becomes ever more diverse. Naturally, the old establishment will go down kicking and screaming (which is to be expected). I see our country as going through growing pains. Nothing stays the same, but change is hard for people.

    • FF says:

      Who’s going to kill anyone when they kill 12-year olds for holding fake guns? A militia of white guys?

      • The Eternal Side-Eye says:

        Yeah sorry, we’re not the ones holding a wild refuge compound hostage with a whole armed militia. Guess it’s more scary when black folks chant mean words than when white people arrive with assault rifles.

    • Pepper says:

      BLM is a bit like Anonymous or the Occupy movement. Any idiot can say they’re doing something as part of the BLM movement, and thus some of the things done under it’s banner are going to be stupid, or needlessly violent, or just spectacularly self-defeating or ill thought out.

      The core movement is incredibly important, but they do need to find away to tighten things up because it’s getting too messy around the edges.

      • Keaton says:

        Yes. BLM is a decentralized group like Occupy There isn’t a formal hierarchical structure (Most movements aren’t super formal but it seems like this has become more common in the age of social media coordinating mechanisms.)
        I agree that that type of messiness is bound to happen on the fringes of the movement.
        But I don’t see any evidence that the me core movement has been compromised

    • The Eternal Side-Eye says:

      So I mentioned this in response to FF but we literally have a large group of armed white men with military and assault rifles who have illegally taken a government building hostage and followed home police officers getting NO attacks thrown at them.

      Vs.

      A group of protestors carrying signs, some of whom in their anger shouted some ugly uncalled for slurs.

      Hmm. Such a hard choice as to which is worse and which the media blew up.

      • FLORC says:

        I’m on the fence of giving the militia/terrorist(/another term?) any more coverage. They want that and it should not be granted. IMO

        And the slurs are never welcomed. Noting done in hate is.
        But when it comes to “news” it’s not the news covering this. It’s tv shows with hosts paid for a bias opinion and hyperbole language. That’s not news. That’s tv shows. That’s entertainment websites. If I say I get my news from the Onion that doesn’t make it a news outlet. But it makes me an idiot.

      • L says:

        And the FBI has started to negotiate with them. Can anyone imagine that happening if this was the BLM movement?

        You know know conservatives need to tighten things up because it’s getting too messy around the edges.

      • Jenny says:

        FLORC, if there were an upvote button, I would upvote you so hard for this comment!!

    • L says:

      Yea it’s BLM that are the out of control violent ones. /sarcasm

      Statistics show 2015 was one of the safest years for law enforcement in a generation. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP), which keeps data on officer deaths going back over 100 years, 42 officers were shot and killed by suspects in 2015

      VS.
      Police shot and killed 986 people in 2015.
      So far in 2016 (21 days into the year) police have already shot and killed 48 people.
      http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database#

  3. Greenieweenie says:

    I agree with him but I wish ppl would just not go, and let that speak volumes. No need to write out clumsy opinions. Just don’t go. Tweet #Oscarssowhite not attending, and don’t go.

    I don’t blame Mark because his is an issues movie and he keeps the issue in the public sphere of attention. But like, if you don’t want to go, don’t go. Don’t agonize. Just don’t go.

    • Kitten says:

      “I agree with him but I wish ppl would just not go, and let that speak volumes”

      Yeah, me too. But I also understand how difficult of a position he must be in. I’m not sure how I would handle it if I had what is essentially a professional duty to be attending an event that conflicts with my personal views.

      To a degree, I feel similarly about the financial conferences I often have to attend. All that Yay Wall Street sh*t is so not my scene yet I always go because my boss wants me to.
      It’s a tough call and I don’t envy any of the celebs that are in the position that Ruffalo is in.

      • Greenieweenie says:

        Yeah, I don’t judge because he isn’t on box office par with Will Smith (is he?) and his movie really does represent a group of victims. At the same time, I don’t think anything will change until people start putting their money where their mouth is.

      • Kitten says:

        ITA. A mass boycott from all the A-listers would definitely get attention.

      • FLORC says:

        Tough call and no easy solution.
        And no long term solution.
        Too much needs to change.
        He is handling this very well imo. Or am I just thinking that because he’s amazingly sexy? Both?

    • jamie says:

      Mark can promote his movie other ways. If he was truly bothered by the Oscars, then he shouldn’t go.

      Mark: yeah, I’m bothered, but not bothered enough to boycott.

      That’s what I heard.

      • Lex says:

        He’s a nominee though jamie. He shouldn’t be demonised for being proud of that achievement and wanting the chance to accept an award in person. For many actors it’s a once in a lifetime type thing. Individual actors boycotting really won’t achieve much – it’s a change that must come from all sides. Casting, directors, producers, financers, actors, etc.
        Every part of the system needs changing to be more inclusive of POC and women.

  4. lilacflowers says:

    Go to the Oscars, Mark, and bring Mike Rezendes with you.

    • Well ... says:

      I met him [Rezendes] at a panel yesterday about Spotlight, along with Walter Robinson, and they were both so charming and wonderful. I hope they get to go and enjoy their moment at the Oscars – they deserve it, considering what a voice they gave to people who were suffering in silence about their abuse.

    • Abbess Tansy says:

      I think bringing Mike Rezendes is an excellent idea. Didn’t Denzel bring Ruben Carter one year?

    • Izzy says:

      Seriously, I think instead of boycotting Will Smith SHOULD attend. And bring Bennet Omalu as his date!

  5. Salamander says:

    LOL I like him and i am a liberal, but I think he is deluded. He wouldn’t know! His whole world is the wealthy. He is not an ordinary man seeing ordinary lives. All I see is people of all colors struggling to get by in a system governed by big business and shady politics.

    • Kitten says:

      Yeah but to be fair to Mark, he didn’t start to see the beginnings of success until his early-to-mid thirties. It’s not like he started off as a child star and wealth and accolades is the only thing he knows. After growing up squarely middle class in Wisconsin, he spent more than half of his life struggling like the rest of us.

      • Greenieweenie says:

        That’s what I was thinking too. He was a barely employed actor until…ten years ago? 12? I bet he feels like his success is fragile. I know that fear.

      • Jayna says:

        Exactly. Just five years ago when he really wanted to be in an indie movie by first-time director/writer, Maya Forbes, about her life, being a bi-racial daughter with a bipolar father, “Infinitely Polar Bear,” which came out in 2015, the studio wanted a bigger name, but she loved Mark’s passion. and pushed for Mark. He stayed invested in the movie and researching his character for years until financing finally came together and it got made. It’ hard to believe that even in a small budget movie, the higher-ups in the beginning back then didn’t think his name was big enough to pull in an audience.

    • jc126 says:

      What would you have wanted him to say? What is he deluded about?

    • Betsy says:

      There’s knowing through learning, which anyone with a library card and an open mind can accomplish, and there’s knowing through experience, which most of us cannot for every single situation. Sneering at people who attempt to be open-minded and intelligent just because they can’t experience things seems counterproductive to ever changing anything.

  6. Lucy says:

    He listens, he understands, he commits, he TRIES, you know? Mistakes and all. I wish more people were like him.

    • Pinky says:

      I hope he wins and takes the Academy and country to task. He is a sane Brando to me. WWMBD?

    • The Eternal Side-Eye says:

      Yeah I can’t knock the dude, a part of me has no time for his explanations but at the same time I don’t blame him for the current Oscar situation.

    • Marty says:

      Yeah I support him, he’s a thoughtful and intelligent person. And like you said at least he’s trying to contribute in a positive way.

  7. Naya says:

    I’m very confused. Can someone list the ways in which attending the Oscars supports victims of abuse or promotes good journalism? Because if he means that attending will raise Spotlights profile then I beg to differ. If he really wants to raise the films profile, then dont attend and do a couple of interviews explaining why. That will get much more coverage than pictures of Mark Ruffalo on the red carpet or footage of him sitting in the audience. Frankly, I had forgotten about his film until I saw it mentioned on all the coverage he is now getting.

    • Mia4s says:

      The Oscars is a global stage. If he wins his comments will be heard by a much wider audience that a random American morning show or blahblahwhatever.com. If the film wins it’s a financially proven fact that it will see a box office boost. His absence serves no purpose; lots of actors don’t attend the ceremony every year and no one cares. Spike Lee has already clarified he never called for a boycott, so has Jada Smith. They feel they need to make personal statements; and good for them. So why are people still talking about a boycott?

      • Jayna says:

        Exactly.

        Look at what happened with Still Alice because of Julianne Moore’s win and visibility winning awards for the movie. I didn’t see it until she had all these nominations and wins and it was on my radar then.

      • Naya says:

        Spike and Jada have nothing to do with this. He was asked if HE would make the personal choice to not attend and he responded with a statement that makes little sense to me. His movie is getting more mentions now than it did on nomination day. And if he wins, he could do what Marlon did with his Godfather win and send a minority actor to the podium. You dont get to use MLKs quote on taking action while taking no action yourself, come on.

        I usually like Ruffalo but he sounds to me like a man who wants to have his cake (attend a contest that he accepts is rigged against minorities and women) and eat it too (reiterate his white liberal credentials even as he legitimizes the rigged contest). His “justification” is just a cover, I’m calling cowardise + self aggrandizement.

    • Greenieweenie says:

      He uses his face and fame to impress the issue in public consciousness. It’s just about an association. People see him, and they think priest child abuse scandal. He can help keep the issue afloat in public conversation and maybe even move progress forward (this is the reason celebrities go speak about their pet issues in front of Congress).

      Images and associations have a powerful effect on public behavior. If they weren’t, you wouldn’t have advertising or celebrity endorsements. He can maintain and raise the profile of the scandal on newspaper pages and websites just by talking about it–on an Oscar stage, in interviews, or just waking down a red carpet for Spotlight.

  8. FF says:

    Waiting for the pushback for him…

  9. Pituka says:

    Seriously I like Ruffalo but rolled by eyes really hard at this “To clear up any confusion. I will be going to the Oscars in support of the victims of clergy Sexual Abuse and good journalism. #Spotlight”

    • Kitten says:

      I love him but I rolled my eyes as well. I know it’s Twitter or whatever and it needs to be limited to however-many-characters but that came across as really careless and self-promotional in light of the important conversation he was having. It was awkward both in wording and in tone.

      I won’t give him too much crap for it though because like others said, I do believe he’s trying. I genuinely believe that Ruffalo is a really good dude with his heart in the right place.

    • CornyBlue says:

      yeah. Like be upfront if you want to go. Stop bringing abuse victims into it.

    • Holmes says:

      Yeah, I used to really like this guy, but the more he talks, the more I’m put off by him. It’s very easy for him in his position to sit and pontificate, and I’m not sure if it’s because of that or the hashtagging, but his “concern” across as very feigned. The guy pretty clearly just wants to attend the Oscars, imho.

  10. Renae says says:

    While I can sympathize on some issues the BLM movement raises, there are way too many radical views from some connected to it. I never thought I would see the day when some think it’s okay to call for the killing of police and destruction. What I don’t like about all of this is that it was all funded and started by George Soros, whose only motive is to create racial divide and chaos. Just do some background research. Many of the leaders and protestors are on his payroll. All I can see this causing is a bigger divide.

    • cr says:

      “What I don’t like about all of this is that it was all funded and started by George Soros, whose only motive is to create racial divide and chaos. Just do some background research. Many of the leaders and protestors are on his payroll.”

      By ‘research’ you mean reading RedState and Breitbart?

      And Soros, long a a bogeyman of the far right, didn’t start BLM. Major funding for BLM is a little more complicated:

      The Democracy Alliance was created in 2005 by a handful of major donors, including billionaire financier George Soros and Taco Bell heir Rob McKay to build a permanent infrastructure to advance liberal ideas and causes. Donors are required to donate at least $200,000 a year to recommended groups, and their combined donations to those groups now total more than $500 million. Endorsed beneficiaries include the Center for American Progress think tank, the liberal attack dog Media Matters and the Democratic data firm Catalist, though members also give heavily to Democratic politicians and super PACs that are not part of the DA’s core portfolio. While the Democracy Alliance last year voted to endorse a handful of groups focused on engaging African-Americans in politics ― some of which have helped facilitate the Black Lives movement ― the invitation to movement leaders is a first for the DA, and seems likely to test some members’ comfort zones.

      http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/major-donors-consider-funding-black-lives-matter-215814

      • J-Who says:

        Soros is notorious for manipulating the currencies of many economies. He brought down Europe’s Euro and made the system nearly collapse. Now he’s working on the US. That’s what he does, he manipulates the monetary system by his trading activities, which he did in 1997 with Malaysia and Thailand and did it again in England when he “Broke the bank” by dumping 10 billion sterling, thus causing the devaluation of the british currency and then gained a billion dollar profit from that crap! You may want to research this man a little more and find out what the people of Asia have to say about him and those in England, too. You all want to gripe so much about all the rich people out there, well, he’s a really REALLY rich guy that gets off on destroying the currencies and livelihoods of other countries. This has nothing to do wtih Breitbart or RedState, it’s a fact.

    • The Eternal Side-Eye says:

      So what are your feelings on the Oregon stand off and the white guys literally following police officers to their homes and staying parked outside while displaying their guns?

      …do you have an opinion on that or do we not care about cops when white guys threaten them and actually make concrete steps to do it?

      • kri says:

        @The Eternal Side-Eye-You are so correct on this and I love you for your observation. If it was a group of black “militia”people, that building would be nothing more than a smoking ruin, cause they would have bombed/shot it up to hell. As for those militants following cops home…omg.A BLM activist would have maybe made it oh say, to the same block before getting filled with bullets.

      • Lilacflowers says:

        I think the moronic traitors and terrorists in Oregon should have water and power and access to food cut and be subjected to really annoying music (I recommend Tony Basil’s “Hey, Mickey”) played at high volume endlessly until they surrender, at which time, they should be sentenced, as terrorists, to Gitmo

      • cr says:

        I think the Oregon terrorists should have water, Flint water.

      • jc126 says:

        I haven’t heard about (I assume “militia” supporters are doing this?) following cops to their homes and being outside with guns – can you be more specific so I can read up on it?
        Regarding the gun-toting loons at the wildlife preserve – as I understand it they’re fighting for their “right” to poach animals on public land, and some support Cliven Bundy was fighting for his “right” to graze his cattle on public land without paying for it – I wish the government would go in with guns blazing. But I can see why they haven’t – these parasites (I want to call them terrorists, really) haven’t DONE anything besides squatting, and they’re so heavily armed that it will be a bloodbath on both sides. I don’t know what the government should do, but it’s very, very upsetting. I’m not worried about the gun-toting loons getting hurt, just the innocent law enforcement officers or military or whoever would be sent in.
        These dirtballs seem to know just where the legal edge is and deliberately go right up against it.

  11. Serenitynow says:

    I will admit that I was ignorant to the extent of racism out there and Ruffalo’s point on white privilege. Not to say that I never thought racism existed but I didn’t truly knew of the extent of disparity until it happened to me.
    I am white and my husband is of East Asian background. A few years into our marriage I took his surname. My maiden name has Irish roots.
    I found it really hard to find a job as a teacher using my married name. I was actually told that people assumed that with my ‘ethnic’ surname meant that I couldn’t speak English very well. Which was strange because I am an English teacher! After over 300 job applications and only two job interviews. I became frustrated so I changed my name back and within weeks of using my maiden name (I applied for 20 jobs after the name change) I undertook 6 interviews and was offered 4 jobs! I used the same resume and job application. I was furious but it has really made me open my eyes. I know it’s not a big deal to some and yes I know there are bigger issues at stake. It just saddens me with all the world history, globalism and digital interconnectedness we can’t past something simple as a name or skin colour. What would MLK think of us?

    • The Eternal Side-Eye says:

      You’ve basically done the real life example many Minorities try to see how equal things really are. I’m sorry for your experience but I am thankful that it enabled you to be open-minded and see and experience the cruelty of ignorance for yourself.

  12. Bobafelty says:

    Historically, whenever an oppressed group fights for equality, there are claims of “radicalism”. For example, black lives matters gets tagged as wanting to hurt cops and white people (when black kids are getting murdered on our streets). Feminism gets tagged as man haters (when in reality women are still paid less and not given the same opportunities). It’s as predictable as it is annoying.

  13. QQ says:

    Frankly I LOVE that #OscarsSoWhitePartDeux is eclipsing their little pat in the back self congratulatory orgy and now everyone has to answer squirmy uncomfortable stuff in the red carpet, It’s delicious to see everyone parsing and whatnot, but ya’ll know how it is…Sometimes you gotta embarrass people into their “act Right”

    • The Eternal Side-Eye says:

      ABSOLUTELY. I’ve heard people say it’s getting off track but I think it’s absolutely ON TRACK.

      I’m not here for the Jada hate but I am absolutely HERE for making people really think, judge, and question themselves about how fair the situations they accept as normal really are.

      Just like all those men collected their paychecks before the Sony back made them have to defend why the women got paid less routinely. Let’s make a few folks walk onto a movie set and question why there’s no POC.

    • BobaFelt says:

      Yes Yes and Yes!

    • mia girl says:

      QQ – re red carpet: brings a whole new perspective to #AskHerMore

    • RisiaSkye says:

      +1 to every word said in this thread.

    • Dean says:

      Agreed. Suddenly Ricky Gervais doesn’t seem like such an idiot for insulting the guests at the GG’s

    • Lady D says:

      #askhermore.

  14. Erinn says:

    T.Fanty!
    You were right- the more I read, the more love I have for him. The man looks good in a suit, and the gray hair works.

  15. annaloo. says:

    Life is a mess.

  16. J-Who says:

    OMG! Ok, bye bye Ruffulo! I am so sick of hearing how racist everyone and everything is in this country. If everything is so bad, as this douche says it is, then why are there so many more non-white citizens living and working here??? I’m sick of this nonsense, just SICK OF IT!!! Maybe after he’s done white-shaming himself and America, he will go to a tanning salon so he doesn’t have to call himself a white guy anymore. Smdh…..

  17. Barbara says:

    Oh shut up Mark.

  18. word says:

    He has every right to attend the Oscars. He doesn’t need to apologize or feel bad about it. He has done nothing wrong.

  19. me says:

    Why is he bringing the “Black Lives Matter” movement into this? I thought the lack of diversity that everyone is upset about has to do with the lack of Black, Asian, Hispanic, Native, Disabled, Gay, Trans, etc. people in movies?

  20. Pandy says:

    I just want to see nice gowns and jewellery. Maybe a mani cam. I don’t care what color of skin is wearing it.

  21. FF says:

    Maybe he knows that white people only choose to believe something when white guys say it…

  22. Lillylizard says:

    Seems the ones who are happy to boycott are the ones who aren’t nominated, those who are nominated should definitely go, not turning up will embarrass the Academy a bit but turning up and winning gives them a chance to make a speech about the issue, can you imagine every winner making the same speech for the entire 3hour broadcast to a billion people, now that would really have the academy running scared .

    I have to say I do think there is a bit of over kill about this, African Americans make up less than 10% of the US population as long as a reasonable representation (1 in 10) in the media and entertainment areas can be achieved that’s fine . On the other hand women make up over 50% of the population and there is certainly no where near a 50-50 representation of women outside the ‘actress’ categories. Around 10% is the average in the creative area’s of the industry according to various surveys, so its not just about race its about gender as well.

  23. Dean says:

    I think you mean the world honey