'Avengers' Star Mark Ruffalo Calls For More Black Widow Toys, Continues To Promote Gender Equality On 'Age Of Ultron' Press Tour

Mark Ruffalo has been taking a stand lately and not just as a superhero in the upcoming “Avengers: Age of Ultron” movie. Over the course of an extensive press tour, the Oscar nominated actor has been pushing for more gender equality amongst comic book fans, most recently calling for more toys modelled after Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) – the current lone female Avenger.

Ruffalo tweeted to Marvel asking them to manufacture more merchandise geared towards the superhero franchise’s female fans. See the actor’s post below:

Ruffalo is not alone in his frustration. Many supporters have been putting pressure on the comic giant to equally market “The Avengers” across gender lines. A hashtag -- #Where’sNatasha – has emerged in reference to Black Widow’s alter-ego and the character’s lack of attention relative to her male counterparts.

This is not the first time in the past few days that Ruffalo has stood up for gender equality. In an interview with Cosmopolitan UK alongside co-star Scarlett Johansson, Ruffalo fielded questions that would stereotypically be posed to female actresses, such as what he would be wearing on the red carpet and what flattering poses he would strike for photographers.

See the interview below:

The actor's actions stand in stark contrast to a Digital Spy interview with “Avengers” co-stars Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner that went viral after the actors poked fun at Black Widow’s romantic plotlines in the movie, calling the character a “sl--” and a “complete wh---.” Evans and Renner later apologized for their remarks with Evans saying, “we answered in a very juvenile and offensive way that rightfully angered some fans. I regret it and sincerely apologize.”

See the controversial interview below:

“The Avengers: Age of Ultron” premieres in theaters nationwide on May 1.