Since his role in the 2000 indie drama family drama, You can count on me. Mark RuffaloA Hollywood favorite. Over his career of more than 20 years, the Academy Award-nominated actor proved his versatility in all movie genres. From romantic comedies and hard-hitting dramas to a host of Marvel movies such as Dr. Banner and the Hulk. But if you ask Ruffalo what’s behind all his success, he’ll tell you without hesitation that it’s his better half of over 20 years, Sunrise Coigney. Here’s the inside scoop on Mark Ruffalo’s wife and the beautiful bond they share.
Sunrise Coigney and Mark Ruffalo Wed in 2000
Sunrise Coigney, who also goes by Sunny, was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He met Mark Ruffalo when he was a struggling actor out-of-work in 1998. According to an article in Men’s Journal, they crossed paths completely randomly, meeting on the street in L.A. “I saw her and was like, ‘I’m going to marry that girl,’” the Shutter IslandStar was featured in the magazine.
The couple got married two years later, just as Ruffalo’s career was starting to take off. While many marriages hit roadblocks when there’s a big shift like this, Ruffalo and Coigney’s relationship only thrived. Their first child, Keen, was born in 2001. They had a daughter Bella in 2005, and Odette in 2007.
Ruffalo Calls His Wife “A Hero”
It is clear that the love and devotion of this Hollywood couple goes beyond 20 years. Ruffalo says he’ll always be grateful to his wife for always believing in himEven when he was struggling, he never gave up on his dream of becoming an actor. “I was living in a dump and didn’t even have a driver’s license or a credit card,” Ruffalo said in a 2014 interview with Closer Weekly “She thought I was a mess … but she believed in me and kept encouraging me. I don’t know if I would have made it without her.”
Ruffalo also acknowledges that his wife does all the heavy liftingHe takes care of their children which is what allows for him to have the successful career he has. And when he does have the opportunity to help out, he’s even more grateful for what he wife deals with every day. “It’s intense. The times when my wife is gone and I’ve had to take care of everything . . . the laundry alone is enough to destroy you,” the actor joked in a 2019 interview with People magazine.
Ruffalo is clearly a Sunrise lover. The Spotlight actor has described her as a “hero” numerous times, including in his 2019 People interview and in a sweet Instagram post dedicated to his wife in honor of Mother’s Day.
“To My Hero. Always holding it all together,” Ruffalo wrote. “A fierce advocate for her kids, always on point no matter how tough it gets. Happy Mother’s Day, Sunny. It isn’t easy being a Mom and one day a year isn’t close to enough to celebrate how much work it is and how grateful we should be. SunnyMom, we love and appreciate you. We are grateful for all that you do. Happy Mother’s Day.”
