Mark Ruffalo‘s experience on the Mark Ruffalo Collateral set recently resurfaced in light of his standout role as FBI agent Tom Brandis in the HBO Max miniseries Task. The acclaimed actor revealed that director Michael Mann once removed him from the Collateral set to prevent him from interacting with co-star Tom Cruise off camera. This tactic was employed to preserve the intense dynamic between their characters, mirroring a strategy Mann also used on legendary films featuring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
Task, which concluded last Sunday, showcased Ruffalo opposite Tom Pelphrey, who portrayed Robbie Prendergrast. Though their screen time together was limited, their performances were deeply compelling, reflecting a meticulous off-camera approach to maintain the tension between their roles. The series’ dramatic finale left Brandis at a critical juncture, while Prendergrast’s earlier death significantly influenced the narrative conclusion.
The Significance of Off-Camera Separation in Task and Collateral
Ruffalo and Brad Ingelsby, Task’s creator and showrunner, recently discussed the series with Deadline. Ingelsby noted initial uncertainty from HBO about securing Ruffalo for the project, but the script persuaded him to join. The importance of Tom Pelphrey’s contribution was emphasized strongly by Ruffalo, who said he was “one thousand percent” in agreement about Pelphrey’s pivotal role.
The actors maintained deliberate distance throughout filming, a technique designed to heighten their on-screen conflict. Ruffalo shared,
“He stayed away from me. I’d see him and be like, ‘Hey’…and he would just keep going.”
This anecdote led Ruffalo to recount his experience on the Mark Ruffalo Collateral set where director Michael Mann kept actors apart to maintain authenticity and intensity.
“Michael Mann would do something similar. When I was doing Collateral, I came to set one day, and he kicked me off set because I walked over to say hi to Tom [Cruise], and [Mann] saw me, and he’s like, ‘Get him off.’ Literally, I got the hook. Michael Mann did the same thing with Heat, with [Al] Pacino and [Robert] De Niro — he wanted to keep them apart the whole time.”
– Mark Ruffalo, Actor
Michael Mann’s Collateral: A Modern Thriller Highlighting a Stellar Cast
Collateral remains one of Michael Mann’s most respected yet often underrated films, noted for its intense storyline and strong performances by an A-list cast. Though Ruffalo’s role was relatively brief, it marked an important step in his acting career, occurring the same year as his romantic lead in 13 Going on 30.
The film primarily centers on the gripping journey of Max, a Los Angeles cab driver played by Jamie Foxx, who finds himself embroiled in a deadly night orchestrated by a calculated hitman portrayed by Tom Cruise. Foxx’s performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, while Cruise’s chilling villain role stands out as one of the rare occasions where he plays a ruthless antagonist rather than a hero.
Cruise’s portrayal exhibits a cold, methodical assassin, a stark contrast to his more familiar heroic image, showcasing his range and depth as an actor. The movie weaves suspense and moral ambiguity, elevating it beyond a typical thriller and into a carefully crafted exploration of life-altering choices under pressure.
Main Cast Members of Collateral and Their Roles
The film features an ensemble cast whose performances contribute to its gripping impact:
- Tom Cruise as the methodical hitman and antagonist, delivering a rare portrayal of villainy.
- Jamie Foxx as Max, the cab driver caught in a perilous and transformative night.
- Jada Pinkett Smith plays a pivotal supporting role that adds depth to the story’s tension.
- Mark Ruffalo appears in a brief but significant role, marking an early career highlight before his later acclaim.
Michael Mann’s decision to separate principal actors off camera, mirrored in both Collateral and other projects like Heat, underscores his commitment to authentic tension onscreen. This approach, as recalled by Ruffalo, involved strict measures to keep actors from interacting or building off-screen rapport.
Such directing choices reveal the lengths to which filmmakers will go to cultivate realistic performances, especially when portraying conflicting characters. For Ruffalo, remembering this experience adds a deeper layer to understanding his recent work on Task, where similar strategies enhanced the storytelling.
