Mark Ruffalo Makes Bold Claim About Iconic '13 Going on 30' Scene
Marvel star Mark Ruffalo may be known for his role as The Hulk/Bruce Banner in the Avengers films these days. However, long before he was part of the hit franchise, Ruffalo was a rom-com guy.
In fact, he’s known for several roles in cult classic films like Rumor Has It, Just Like Heaven, and 13 Going on 30. The latter features a fan-favorite scene that Ruffalo nearly quit over.
Mark Ruffalo Had a Major Issue With Iconic 13 Going on 30 Scene
The actor stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to chat with his pal, Jimmy Fallon. In true fashion, Fallon wasted no time showing a throwback of Ruffalo andJennifer Garner in the movie.
Fallon shared a photo from Ruffalo and Garner doing the iconic “Thriller” dance. Ruffalo then spilled some tea on filming that scene, dropping some major bombshells.
“I didn’t want to do that,” Ruffalo said about the scene. Fallon, of course, wanted more details after Ruffalo’s revelation.
Ruffalo again admitted he didn’t want to do it, adding, “No, I almost like quit because I realized I had to learn the 'Thriller' dance. And I was so scared. So, when she [Garner] dragged me out there, she was literally dragging me out there like that was not acting at all."
Fallon chimed in to say what we all know, which is that Garner is beyond great in that scene and, quite frankly, the entire movie.
“We had dance class together,” Ruffalo continued. “She’s unbelievable. There’s nothing she can’t do. And literally she learned the dance in like 30 minutes, and I was there for six hours.”
Despite Fallon and the audience loving the scene and saying it turned out great, Ruffalo wasn’t convinced. The actor even joked that there was an applause sign, making the audience clap in excitement.
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Mark Ruffalo Gets Love From 13 Going on 30 Fans
The segment was posted on the official The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Instagram account. Fans flocked to the comments to show Ruffalo just how much she is loved, especially in 13 Going on 30 and in the dance scene.
“WE LOVE IT @markruffalo !! thriller dance in 13 going on 30 IS ICONIC,” stated one fan. Another fan expressed, “Cmon! @markruffalo you did great! And honestly that was the first movie I watched with you in it and I loved it and still sit down and watch it now with my 18 year old daughter 😂.”
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A different fan shared, “It is epic. I don’t think he understands how great it is bc so many women view it as such a sweet endearing moment.” A fan wrote, “WE LOVE IT 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽 It's on my life-time favorite rom com list 🫶🏽🫶🏽.”
More fans simply couldn’t stop gushing over Ruffalo. “I fell in love at first sight with Mark in this movie.😍” insisted a fan. One fan wrote, “ I love him since that movie 😍 I had a crush on him at that time 😄.”
Ruffalo may not be a fan of the Thriller dance scene, but fans can’t get enough of it or him.
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This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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