20 stunning Christmas movies starring your favorite Marvel actors
By Reed Gaudens
3. Mark Ruffalo in On the 2nd Day of Christmas
Release Year: 1997
Directed By: James Frawley
Starring: Mary Stuart Masterson, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Suzanne Pratt, David Hewlett, James Purcell, Lawrence Dane, Howard Hesseman, Arlene Meadows
Long before Mark Ruffalo joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Bruce Banner and his giant, green alter-ego superhero The Incredible Hulk, he was one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood.
From critically acclaimed thrillers to romantic comedies opposite Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner, he’s an all-around great guy and a joy to watch, no matter what movie he’s starring in. But perhaps after seven MCU appearances as a fan-favorite Avenger, you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit with Ruffalo. As luck would have it, he’s been in a hidden holiday gem.
In 1997, before becoming a breakout success on the big screen, Mark Ruffalo starred alongside Mary Stuart Masterson in the Lifetime original movie On the 2nd Day of Christmas. Masterson stars as small-time thief Trish, who, along with her six-year-old niece, find themselves caught stealing from the owner of a department store just before Christmas. Bert (Ruffalo), the store’s security guard, puts them up at his place until after the holiday, but in between the crime and the time, a romance blossoms along with the hopes for a second chance.
What more could you want on the second day of Christmas? (Other than two turtle doves…)