Kenya, May 12 -- Eric Bana is an Australian actor who played Bruce Banner in the movie Hulk from 2003, directed by Ang Lee. Recently, he talked about why he did not return for other Marvel movies and shared information about his acting career and other interests.

Bana, who is 56 years old now, explained in interviews that he left the Hulk role because the 2003 film did not do very well.

The movie made $245.4 million but was seen as disappointing because of mixed reviews about its serious tone and old special effects. Because of this, Marvel decided to restart the Hulk franchise.

When The Incredible Hulk was made in 2008 as part of the new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Marvel chose a different actor, Edward Norton, to play Banner. Later, Mark Ruffalo took over the role. Bana said he was never asked to come back.

He mentioned on the podcast "WTF with Marc Maron" that he always thought of his role as a one-time thing. He added that back in 2003, superhero movies were different and did not have plans for sequels or interconnected stories like they do now.

Bana has no regrets about leaving the role because he felt uncomfortable with the superhero genre. He told Vulture that playing the character was difficult because Banner was a repressed person.

He found it frustrating to film quiet scenes while the Hulk's action was created using green screen, with director Ang Lee doing the motion capture. "It felt like a tiny movie. I don't like working indoors," he explained.

Bana sees himself as a character actor and prefers to take on a variety of roles rather than being in big blockbuster movies. He values having choices in his career.

Since playing Hulk, Bana has kept working in Hollywood and Australian films but has not reached the same famous status as other actors like Robert Downey Jr. Some of his notable roles include Prince Hector in Troy (2004), Avner in Steven Spielberg's Munich (2005), Nero in Star Trek (2009), and the main character in the Australian thriller The Dry (2020).

He recently played detective Aaron Falk again in a sequel called Force of Nature: The Dry 2 (2024).

His role in Hulk was praised, but he acknowledged that some fans were disappointed, joking in a 2013 interview that he was sorry for those who were "angry about it."

In addition to acting, Bana enjoys motor racing and participates in events like the Porsche Sprint Challenge in Australia.

He has also started collecting cars and making documentaries, something he dreamed about as a child. He helps support charities for homeless youth in Australia.

Bana has been married to Rebecca Gleeson since 1997 and likes to live a simple life, often visiting small pubs in Australia to stay connected to his roots.

He reflected on fame in a 2024 interview, saying, "You're only a couple of bad performances away from no one talking about you again," highlighting how fragile fame can be.

Some fans have speculated about him returning as Hulk in a future MCU event, like Avengers: Secret Wars (2026), but Bana has continually denied those ideas.

"I can't see it," he said in a 2024 interview, sharing that he is not interested in playing the role again, even though he is still fit for it.

Netizens show mixed feelings, with some fans praising Bana's portrayal of the Hulk for its depth, while others prefer Ruffalo's version in the MCU.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.