He might be getting ready to Hulk out as Bruce Banner in The Avengers, but Mark Ruffalo is looking at playing a man with some different issues in producer-turned-director Jeff Preiss’ new indie drama Low Down, which chronicles the wild life and struggles of jazz pianist Joe Albany.
With a script by Topper Lilien and Albany’s actual daughter, Amy (who based the initial idea on her memoir), the film will chronicle the ups-and-downs of the talented ivory tinkler.
Like many of the great musicians, Albany’s life included highs such as playing with the likes of jazz legends Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Charles Mingus and lows such as his battle with heroin addiction, which came later.
At the tender age of 11, Amy saw her father dealing with both his talent and his demons in LA bars and hotels during the 1960s and ‘70s. Ruffalo will be parking his rear end on the piano stool nearer the end of the year, once he’s finished the big Marvel adventure.
He also has his own indie production, Sympathy for Delicious, which is set to arrive across the pond on April 29.