The green-muscled, fury-fisted fan favorite smashed his way from the popular comic books onto the big screen in the late 1970's through the incredible talents of Lou Ferrigno, a young bodybuilder with several personal challenges to overcome before reaching the Hollywood spotlight.
Ferrigno, recently deputized right here in San Antonio, told KENS 5 one-on-one about his struggles with hearing loss as a toddler and difficulties with communicating. In spite of these setbacks, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in show business.
“I was bullied a lot as a kid, and I read the comic books for a sense of relief,” he said. He talked about his obsession with power. As a kid, he felt powerless and began to build up anger because of the bullying.
“I knew, when I heard about the auditions, that no one could play that character as good as I could,” he said. Even with a hearing impairment, Ferrigno stood out above all the competition claiming the role as Hulk as a non-speaking part. He would use grunts and roaring sounds to communicate the Hulk’s emotional intensity.
“The secret [of becoming the Hulk] is that I’m always angry, and I channel that anger into the character.”
He concluded by cautioning young people who are suffering from bullying to tell someone about what they’re going through. “Go tell the sheriff’s department, get a teacher or an adult involved and let them evaluate the situation,” he said. He continued to explain the dangers bullies can become to society in the future if they don’t get the proper help they need while they’re young.