7 Awkward Questions the Press Should Ask Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has nothing on his green alter ego these days.

Sure, the actor’s signature character is mean, green and out of control. Compare that to what Ruffalo says in a new interview with the UK Independent:

“We are approaching mass extinctions, food systems failing, hundreds of millions of displaced people looking for places that are hospitable.”

Ruffalo spoke to the news outlet to promote “Dark Waters,” a fact-based film which hit theaters last year but failed to gain awards season buzz. The actor plays a lawyer fighting a powerful corporation tied to environmental-based deaths.

The press seized on two key items from Ruffalo’s Feb. 22 chat:

• He describes Hollywood as a home for White Supremacy
• He says Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige nearly quit over the MCU’s lack of diversity

Provocative angles, no doubt. Still, the press missed all the buried ledes in the story. Again.

The interview, along with Ruffalo’s past comments, demand a more thorough Q&A. Think how podcast giant Rogan invited Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey back on his show after their first, lackluster chat. Dorsey got grilled by intrepid journalist Tim Pool the second time around.

It wasn’t pretty, but it sure proved illuminating.

Along those lines, The Independent (or another press outlet) should snag Ruffalo for a follow-up interview. The following questions would serve as a proper guide…

1. Should Russia Be Allowed to Influence U.S. Elections?

Ruffalo railed against President Donald Trump early and often in the Independent interview, culminating with this battle cry.

“I’m inviting the rest of the world to get involved in our next election, because the fate of the world is in the f***ing balance. And you can print that.”

Does that include Russia, the country liberals swear changed the outcome of the 2016 presidential election without proof? Does Ruffalo realize the implications of his demands, starting with the loss of our sovereignty?

2. Should Hollywood Genuflect to China, the World’s Biggest Polluter?

We all know film studios will do or say virtually anything to appease Chinese officials.

• Edit “insensitive” scenes out of existing movies
• Add scenes to placate Chinese censors
• Avoid depicting Chinese characters in an unflattering light

Why? Because the country’s box office receipts ballooned in recent years, directly impacting Hollywood’s coffers. A film could theoretically flop stateside but crush it at Chinese theaters, avoiding a fiscal disaster.

RELATED: Ruffalo Demands No More White Conservatives on MSNBC

Meanwhile, China emits more carbon than any other nation, according to Time magazine. The Chinese government isn’t a bastion of fairness, or transparency, regarding its climate change efforts. Plus, the country’s ghastly record on human rights should be something Ruffalo and his peers care deeply about.

Does all of the above keep the actor up at night, like President Trump’s mere presence does?

3. What Sacrifices Do You Make to Protect the Planet? Please Be Specific…

‘Nuff said.

4. Why Work in an Industry You Call a Bastion for ‘White Supremacy?’

Surely Ruffalo has other marketable skills. Why would he take part, for decades, in a field where black and brown people are treated so shabbily?

5. Why Do Your Films Look So … White?

Ruffalo is no longer just an actor for hire. He’s leveraged his Hollywood clout to become a producer, too. He recently produced or served as an executive producer on “Dark Waters,” “Anything” and the upcoming TV series “I Know This Much Is True.”

All of those projects feature overwhelmingly white casts. Where are the stars of color?

6. Are You Worried How Often the Climate Change Science Is Wrong?

Climate scientists told us snowfalls would soon be a thing of the past. That’s just one prediction among man that proved dramatically false.

Now, we’re told we only have 12 years left to reverse course or the planet is doomed. Do you understand why many people may not buy that scenario given what we’ve been repeatedly told?

7. Why Should Anyone Listen to Hollywood Hypocrites?

This question cuts to the heart of the matter. Even Joaquin Phoenix called his fellow stars out during the recent Golden Globes telecast. The condensed version? Dear Fellow Actors, start practicing what you preach, beginning with all the private plane trips you take.

Even Ruffalo copped to the problem in the Independent interview:

“…actors shouldn’t be flying around in private jets. We don’t have to do that. It’s going to take some sacrifice, we all have to be a little bit uncomfortable… you can no longer think, ‘It’s just about me.’ You have to see that it has impact in all other directions.

“So yes, Hollywood, it is systemic, but it’s like asking a fish about water. They’ve been swimming in it their whole lives. This is a hundred years of a certain culture, starting with vilifying Native Americans in film and making them the villains for years and years, moving to black people and villainising them and then a homogenous culture of white supremacy, really. And until we start, consciously as a whole industry, making those changes – that includes actors also saying, ‘Hey, we need diversity on our sets,’ – it’s not going to change. It’s just passing the buck.”

Yes it is. And, until the American public sees action from Hollywood, Inc. – not the virtue signaling kind, by the way – why should they follow your demands?