Emmy-Nominated Actor Mark Ruffalo Reflects on Challenging Role in HBO's Hit Crime Drama

In a recent interview, Emmy and Oscar-nominated actor Mark Ruffalo opened up about the challenges of playing the lead role in the hit HBO crime drama "Task." Ruffalo portrayed Tom Brandis, a trauma-stricken FBI agent and former Catholic priest who heads a task force investigating a series of armed robberies.

Ruffalo explained that it was difficult to return to the real world after spending so much time embodying the character. "I literally send a note to myself, and it's like, 'When I wake up tomorrow, that's it, we're done. I'm signing out and I'm moving on,'" he said. The actor found the journey his character had to go through "harder than I even thought it was going to be."

Despite the heavy subject matter, Ruffalo is pleased that "Task" has become so popular, noting that the audience is "craving a catharsis" during these divisive times. "We're so divided, we're so angry, and if we're going to follow this idea that empathy is a psychosis or some disease, then we're just left with so little grace and joy," he said.

As an executive producer on the show, Ruffalo was involved in shaping the character's arc and ensuring the vision of the filmmakers was realized. He praised the ensemble cast, saying his "greatest wish for the show is that we get an ensemble award."

Ultimately, Ruffalo wants viewers to remember that "Task" is about the "empathy and the humanity of these characters, to have their lives, their experiences, their reasons, touch our hearts." In a time when empathy is sometimes seen as a weakness, the show serves as a powerful reminder of its importance.