Mark Ruffalo reveals terrifying dream that turned out to be true

Mark Ruffalo is no stranger to overcoming challenges, both on and off screen. 

Known for his powerful performances and kind, grounded personality, his fans admire him as an actor and father. 

But few know Ruffalo’s life took a terrifying turn more than 20 years ago when he faced an unexpected battle with his health — one that started with a dream. 

During a recent conversation on the Smartless podcast, Ruffalo shared a story about a dream he had had. Just before his wife Sunrise Coigney was about to give birth to their first child, he dreamt that he had a brain tumour. 

Ruffalo shares that in the dream, there were no images, no voices — just an overwhelming sense of clarity. 

Incidentally, at the time Ruffalo had an ear infection. But this dream wasn’t something he could shake off. 

He says his intuition told him to get checked, just in case.

Incidentally, a scan revealed that the dream wasn’t just a dream — it was a warning. Ruffalo had a tumour the size of a golf ball behind his left ear. 

With their son Keen on the way, Ruffalo pondered whether to tell his wife about the tumour or keep quiet about it until after the birth. 

Ruffalo chose the latter.

“She had the birth plan, she did the yoga, she had the doula, we had a hot tub ordered,” he said, reflecting on his wife’s preparations. “This is like her wedding… and I was just like, ‘I can’t.’’

A week after Keen’s birth, Ruffalo finally told his wife about the tumour. 

Her initial reaction was disbelief — she thought he was joking. 

But the gravity of the situation soon hit, and she broke down. 

Thankfully, the tumour was benign, but the road ahead wasn’t without its fair share of risks. Ruffalo faced a 20 percent chance of facial paralysis and a 70 percent chance of losing his hearing in the left ear. 

Post surgery, Ruffalo woke up permanently deaf in his left ear. His face, initially paralyzed, slowly regained movement over the course of a year.

More importantly, he was alive, able to be there for his family. 

Stories like this remind us that even our heroes face struggles behind the scenes. 

Today, Ruffalo continues to give his fans more and more reason to adore him not just as a brilliant actor but as a person who faced his most difficult moments with grace and courage.