Lou Ferrigno on the Impact of ‘The Incredible Hulk’ [Exclusive Interview]

As I walked up to Lou Ferrigno’s table at Wizard World Chicago, I went slowly hoping not to upset the man. After all, I’ve seen plenty of people have to deal with the wrath of this superhero when he is unhappy — and I don’t want to be next on the list. A firm, but friendly handshake calmed my nerves and I settled in for a candid conversation with Bruce Banner’s other half. 

The conversation started around the topic of The Incredible Hulk’s impact on Ferrigno’s career. It turns out that he had no idea the show would cause the fuss it did when it first hit the airwaves. “I was just hoping to be picked up as a series,” he admitted. 

“I had no idea the impact it would have on the entire world. In every country in the world, people are familiar with the character,” he continued.

With so many fans throughout the world, Mr. Ferrigno draws a crowd wherever he goes. At least a few of these fans certainly have had some strange requests for the star. 

“Sometimes when fans come over they want to jump on me, or they want me to pick them up. They want me to do silly things,” Ferrigno confessed. 

From there we moved on to the topic of the late Stan Lee. “Stan was my mentor — almost like my second father,” Ferrigno said proudly. “He was on the show for three episodes and I learned a lot from him.”

Being able to speak to the person who created the character you are bringing to life has to be one of the best ways to get into the role. 

Before moving on from the subject, Ferrigno described what he feels makes a person a superhero. “A superhero embraces their passion,” he said. 

While not necessarily the textbook answer to this often asked question, I can’t say that I disagree. It hits the heart of the matter and proves that any of us can be a superhero if we try hard enough.

Eventually, the conversation took a turn towards The King of Queens, where Lou Ferrigno played a recurring role as himself. 

“I enjoyed it because it is who I am every day in real life,” Ferrigno said. “It was in front of a live audience of people, so you get the instant gratification from the audience.”

Although Ferrigno has mainly starred in movies as of late, his heart still belongs to the small screen. “I’d like to do more TV series. I’d like to do another sitcom as a series,” he revealed.

With the state of television these days, I’m sure there is plenty of room for him to take residence nearly anywhere he wants.

As our conversation came to a close, Ferrigno mentioned that it wouldn’t take long before we can see him again. “I have a movie coming out called Purge of Kingdoms — which is a spoof of Game of Thrones,” he said.

With a strong presence in action and comedy, this seems like a great direction for the actor to go. Marrying two of his favorite genres into one role has to feel like a home run. 

When our conversation came to a close, I shook his hand one last time and turned away. A sizable line formed next to me the entire time — and I was none the wiser. It is apparent that Lou Ferrigno’s fans still love him — no matter what role he plays.

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