A Welsh couple was taken by surprise last weekend when a well-meaning wedding crasher approached their Central Park nuptials to extend his congratulations. His name? Mark Ruffalo.
Klaire Hodgson and Lynz Tanner of Gwynedd, Wales, were setting up a video link for their family to watch along as they walked down the aisle overseas when, according to Hodgson, Ruffalo “detoured over” while walking through the New York City haven to watch along himself.
“Everybody was on the phone call and all of a sudden this guy starts slowly walking over. He stopped and he’s saying ‘hello’ to us and we’re saying, ‘OK, you alright?’” Hodgson told North Wales Live Saturday, admitting that they didn’t immediately recognize the Marvel star.
“I think he was waiting for us to recognize him,” Hodgson said. “I noticed he had a really nice camera and I was thinking, ‘Oh, he must do photography,’ But I thought, ‘I can’t know this guy. I’m in New York, I don’t know anyone in New York.’”
But Ruffalo’s identity clicked into place as he began walking away, and Hodgson and Tanner called him back over.
“I had no idea what to do with my arms. He was absolutely lovely,” Hodgson said. “Later he shook my hand about three times and said, ‘Aw, I’m so happy for you.’ He was so super nice. He was just a regular guy.”
Hodgson detailed that the celebrity encounter was particularly special, given that they and Tanner bond over geek culture and are a self-described “nerdy” couple. Their suits for the wedding featured “Star Trek” badges, and just two days prior while visiting New York, Hodgson got a new Batman tattoo.
“So for The Hulk to turn up was pretty cool!” Hodgson said. “Of all the people, of all the genres of film or TV or anything to have turned up to our nerdy wedding!”
“It was amazing that we got married in Central Park,” Hodgson concluded. “It was so magical and the whole day was beautiful, and then Mark Ruffalo turning up and being in pictures with us, it did make it extra special.”
Ruffalo can now count himself among a growing list of famous faces who have helped make newlyweds’ special day even more memorable, from Tom Hanks to Katy Perry to Serena Williams to Keanu Reeves.
