Entertainment
Mark Ruffalo praises Pinoy toy artist
MANILA, Philippines—A Filipino toy artist gained international acclaim this week.
Actor Mark Ruffalo, famous for playing the Hulk in The Avengers films, on Saturday praised Filipino toy artist Elmer Padilla for his Hulk action figure creation, calling it ‘inventively creative.’
“@elmerboytsinelas made this for me so I just wanted to give a nice shoutout,” Ruffalo wrote on Instagram.
The actor, who is also an environmental advocate, praised Padilla’s creation for its sustainability.
“Not only is this inventively creative, but it’s sustainable and just pure awesome,” Ruffalo said.
Padilla, a pedicab driver, creates action figures out of discarded tsinelas, the local name for rubber slippers.
In a press junket interview for Thor: Ragnarok, ABS-CBN reporter Marie Lozano said that Padilla grew up lacking toys, an experience that taught him to make his own out of trash. According to Padilla, superhero stories inspire him to be extraordinary.
Chris Hemsworth who plays Thor in The Avengers movies also received an action figure of his character made by Padilla.
“That is fantastic. It looks better than me,” Hemsworth said.
Elated by the praises he received over his creations; Padilla thanked Ruffalo for the actor’s appreciation of his art.
“Thank you so much Sir @markruffalo for the shoutout. I can’t explain how happy I am today because one of my idols had it now and holding my creation,” Padilla wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday. “Hope to meet you someday in person.”
Padilla added that seeing Ruffalo and Hemsworth hold his creation was a very heart-warming experience for him.
Aside from Hulk and Thor action figures, Padilla has also built ones of Deadpool, Wolverine, Hellboy, Bumblebee, Neo, Predator, Voltes V, Gundam, among others.
Early this month, he also participated in Warner TV Pop Expo 2017 in Taguig, where he showcased his creations.
