'I Gave Away a Lot of Free Drinks': When Mark Ruffalo Revealed He Accidently Lit 'Obnoxious' Costumer's Face On Fire

Mark Ruffalo wasn’t always a superhero, long before he joined the MCU, he was living as a bartender and during his bartending days he had many amusing yet unforgettable experiences.

Published on Jul 11, 2024  |  03:22 PM IST |  61K
Mark Ruffalo (YouTube--The Graham Norton Show)
Mark Ruffalo (Credits - YouTube-/The Graham Norton Show)

Before Mark Ruffalo became a household name as the Hulk in MCU, he had a very different job—working as a bartender. Like many aspiring actors, Ruffalo took on various jobs to make ends meet while chasing his dreams. One of his unforgettable experiences from the time involved a demanding customer, a flaming drink, and an unexpected fiery mishap.

 This story is both hilarious and shocking at the same time. Let’s dive into the details and find out how Ruffalo ended up accidentally lighting a customer’s face on fire.

Early days as a bartender

Mark Ruffalo wasn’t always a superhero. Long before he joined the MCU, he was living as a bartender. Ruffalo has fondly recounted his bartending days, filled with both fun and challenging moments. One of the most amusing and unforgettable experiences he had was when he accidentally set a customer’s face on fire.

The Markarita and free drinks

One, during an interview at The Graham Norton Show he shared his own signature drink, the “Markarita.” Markarita is a unique twist on the classic margarita. “I gave away a lot of drinks,” said Ruffalo jokingly. Although giving free drinks might not have made him the best bartender in the business, it made him popular among his patrons.

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“I had the Markarita. A margarita, but I ended up having to start early and I had my Thursday night crowd.” He admitted that he had to deal with a lot of drunk people, and sometimes they were not very nice. There would be nights where he would be up to my eyeballs in a-holes.

The infamous incident

One night, Ruffalo had to deal with a particularly obnoxious customer who demanded a sambuca. Despite Ruffalo’s reluctance to serve more drinks to the already inebriated man, the customer insisted. The man then demanded Ruffalo to light the drink on fire. At first, Ruffalo refused, but the customer kept yelling, so he finally agreed.

“I light the drink, he takes it and it goes all over his face, dripping down his face, blue flames everywhere. I’m trying not to laugh, and he beats the hell out of himself trying to get it out.” Surprisingly, the customer then asked for another drink, still wanting it lit. Fortunately, the second time did not result in another fiery mishap.

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Lessons from the bar

Ruffalo’s bartending days were not just about serving drinks, they were also about learning to handle difficult situations and people. This particular incident was one of the many experiences that shaped him. It taught him patience and humor in the face of adversity.

Ruffalo's journey from a bartender to a globally recognized actor is inspiring. When Ruffalo joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Hulk, he skyrocketed to fame. Currently, Ruffalo continues to work on various projects, including the animated series What If…? In What If… he aspires to his role as Bruce Banner.

Stay tuned with PINKVILLA for more amusing stories like this!

ALSO READ: Mark Ruffalo Set To Join Chris Hemsworth For Movie Adaptation Of Don Winslow’s 2021 Novella Crime 101

What was Mark Ruffalo's job before becoming famous?
Mark Ruffalo worked as a bartender.

What happened when Mark Ruffalo accidentally set a customer's face on fire?
He lit a drink for an obnoxious customer, causing the flames to drip onto the customer's face.

Where can I watch Mark Ruffalo's interview about his bartending days?
Mark Ruffalo discussed his bartending experiences in an interview on The Graham Norton Show.

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Journalist. Perennially hungry for entertainment. Carefully listens to everything that start with "so, last night...". Currently making web more

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