TV

Mark Ruffalo and Mark Ruffalo Will Star in New HBO Series

Ruffalo’s latest acting challenge involves playing twins in a new HBO drama series.
By  · Published on October 19th, 2017

Ruffalo’s latest acting challenge involves playing twins in a new HBO drama series.

Be prepared to be emotionally wrecked by HBO‘s latest miniseries order. Derek Cianfrance has never made a movie that didn’t linger in utter anguish and will be bringing heartbreak and strife to the network. Deadline has reported that Cianfrance will be writing and directing an adaptation of “I Know This Much Is True,” Wally Lamb‘s 1998 best-selling novel. And in even better news, the Incredible Hulk himself Mark Ruffalo will take up double duty to play twins in the series.

I Know This Much Is True will run for eight episodes on HBO. The story is set in the latter half of the 20th century and focuses on questions of American identity, depicting an “epic family saga” centering on the lives of twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey.

A TV adaptation of Lamb’s book has been in development by Ruffalo and the author himself for two years. I Know This Much Is True also reunites Ruffalo with the network that co-produced and distributed The Normal Heart, for which Ruffalo shared in an Emmy Award win for Outstanding Television Movie. Meanwhile, the series will mark a slight shift for Cianfrance, who has mostly worked as a feature film director ever since Brother Tied. The discussion of tumultuous personal identity issues is a common occurrence in Cianfrance’s films in general. Aside from the more contained Blue Valentine and The Light Between Oceans, Cianfrance has also directed a familial saga of sorts in his epic generational tale The Place Beyond the Pines.

But what’s really exciting is Ruffalo’s return to TV in such a serious capacity. It goes without saying that he has an extremely varied resume and is good in basically everything he does, ranging from his days as a rom-com staple in movies he’d perhaps prefer to forget (I absolutely love Just Like Heaven though) to much more serious fare (Zodiac, FoxcatcherSpotlight). Ruffalo has received a number of award nominations too, including three Oscars for his acting credits, and it has all been well deserved. Ruffalo is probably one of a couple of actors who have never disappointed me with his performances and filmography in general. HBO giving him multiple lengthy episodes to explore more than one character? That’s my idea of Christmas morning.

I Know This Much Is True banks on a group of undeniably talented individuals as well as HBO’s penchant for the miniseries format in recent years. Big Little Lies won big at the Emmys this year while some of us are actually really excited for season 3 of True Detective (that show needs to get on track either way because Mahershala Ali deserves the best). Mark Ruffalo is coming for more Emmys now too.

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Sheryl Oh often finds herself fascinated (and let's be real, a little obsessed) with actors and their onscreen accomplishments, developing Film School Rejects' Filmographies column as a passion project. She's not very good at Twitter but find her at @sherhorowitz anyway. (She/Her)