If you have been watching Sterling Point and wondering why Connor's charm feels strangely familiar, the internet may have just solved the mystery. Keen Ruffalo, who plays Connor Jacobson in Prime Video's new coming-of-age drama, is the eldest son of none other than Mark Ruffalo.
Yes. That Mark Ruffalo.
The Hulk in The Avengers, Matt Flamhaff in 13 Going on 30, and the man with a filmography spanning everything from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to Begin Again has another acting Ruffalo in the family.
For some Sterling Point viewers, however, that particular piece of casting trivia has only just clicked. Suddenly, those Ruffalo genes are staring us right in the face.
Keen Ruffalo Is Winning Fans as Connor in 'Sterling Point'
Released on Prime Video on 5 August, Sterling Point follows 17-year-old Annie Jacobson, played by Ella Rubin, whose carefully planned summer takes an unexpected turn after she misses out on a prestigious college-prep programme. Things become more interesting when Annie and her twin brother, Connor, discover that their estranged grandfather has left them a mysterious piece of land in Canada.
Cue family secrets, an impulsive journey north, complicated relationships, and tons of mystery to keep a teenage summer from becoming remotely relaxing.
Created by My Old Ass filmmaker Megan Park, the eight-episode series also stars Amélie Elisabeth Hoeferle, Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie, Bo Bragason, and Daniel Quinn-Toye. Viewers will also see more familiar faces, Jay Duplass and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
As for Keen's character, he has become quite the scene-stealer. While Annie heads deeper into the mystery surrounding their family, her brother provides some of the show's lighter moments. Connor is privileged, unserious, and occasionally operating on a wavelength known only to Connor. It's worth noting that Keen Ruffalo manages to give him enough warmth and comic timing to make the chaos rather lovable.
One early scene has Connor simultaneously enjoying a bubble bath, ordering a gourmet cheeseburger, and talking to Annie on the phone before inevitably dropping said phone into the bath. The lack of multitasking skills and surplus of entertainment value had the entire audience effectively endeared.
On Facebook, one fan commented, 'He was the funniest! I laughed almost every time he opened his mouth. Even his face acting was hilarious even if it wasnt intended.'
Other fans of the show noticed the parallels in talent, 'This makes so much sense! He has a similar quirkiness.', while another shared, '💥 Boom! Mind blown! Now I see though 🥺'.
Keen Ruffalo Really Is Mark Ruffalo's Son
Born in 2001 to actors Mark Ruffalo and Sunrise Coigney, Keen is the couple's eldest child.
Sterling Point may be introducing him to a much bigger audience, but it is not technically his first encounter with acting. He previously made small appearances in projects connected to his father, including Begin Again and Thor: Ragnarok, before eventually deciding to pursue acting more seriously himself.
More recently, Keen appeared in Task and Hal & Harper, both of which also featured his father. You can also catch the younger Ruffalo in the Green Day-inspired film Nimrods.
The 'Nepo Baby' Conversation
A famous surname inevitably brings the nepo-baby conversation, but Keen has spoken openly about the less glamorous reality of trying to build an acting career. Asked by Entertainment Tonight for the best advice his father had given him, he admitted that success does not arrive immediately.
'It just takes a long time,' Keen said. 'There's a lot of auditions before you hear anything back... It's a hard thing to do.'
Mark was apparently not exactly pushing his son towards Hollywood either. Keen has recalled his father's initial reaction to his career choice essentially being: Are you sure?
Apparently, he was.
The surname may get people to do a double take, but keeping them watching? That part belongs to Keen. After all, 'nepo baby' or not, it all boils down to whether these famous children earn their spot in the limelight. And in Keen's case, it's becoming evident that the acting bug did not skip a generation.
Now, Sterling Point is giving the younger Ruffalo his first major opportunity to establish himself outside his father's projects, and viewers are noticing how he definitely got talent from both his parents.
As one fan rather efficiently put it: 'he's devouring in this role'.
Keen Ruffalo may be charming audiences in a show called Sterling Point, but his acting is already proving to be gold.
