. >> reporter: mark ruffalo. as a-list as it gets.le as a smashing superhero on screen -- >> i'm always angry. >> reporter: in the avengers movies. and his critically acclaimed performance in the 2016 academy award best picture anymore "spotlight." >> are you telling me that the catholic church removed legal documents from that courthouse? >> reporter: he's also no stranger to social activism. >> how come there's so many problems with frack drilling? >> reporter: lately he's on a new mission, and this one literally hits close to home. he's hoping to save this historic presbyterian church in his new york city neighborhood from demolition. at what point did you decide to get involved? >> i could be selling a product line. a lot of actors do that. but for me, this is what feels like i should be doing. >> reporter: ruffalo now partnering with celebrities like matt damon and director kenneth lon lonergan to raise money for the presbyterian church on manha manhattan's upper west side in need of extensive repairs. >> it just has this incredi

. >> jimmy: this one's from @jenna2nyc she says, "mark ruffalo and janeane garofalo, equals garafaruffalopplause this one's from @jeffjeff55. [ laughter ] he says -- you guys know him he says, "barry manilow, plus anna paquin, equal mannequin." [ cheers and applause ♪ ♪ [ air horn ] >> steve: like the movie >> jimmy: this one's from ajax2727 he says, "amy poehler plus bear grylls equals a a poehler bear." >> steve: aw [ laughter and applause >> jimmy: this is a good one here this one's from @comedy66747 they say, "kathy griffin plus stephen dorff equals griffin dorf." [ cheers and applause there you go those are "tonight show" hashtags to check out more of our favorites go to tonightshow.com/hashtags we'll be right back with battle of the instant songwriters [ cheers and applause ♪ >> you don't have any tattoos? >> jimmy: i don't have any -- i don't know if i could do it. i can't commit [ light laughter ] what -- what would i get tattooed if i got a tattoo on my back, what should i put? [ light laughter ] >> uh, okay, "don jimmy. [ laughter and applause >> jimmy: i'm not putting "don jimm

we witnessed the tender relationship with her father played by mark ruffalo and the intensity of war, a person who is blind. >> the light you get from a piece of coal is actually sunlight. >> you've gone from not acting at all to being on the set of this series with veteran actors, director -- >> i was sort of pulled out of school, and i am so privileged and so lucky and so grateful to be able to do this. trr rhode island native told us when she was younger she did not think there was a place for a disabled woman like her on screen. so she veered toward academics, becoming a fulbright scholar, studying language and history, at least until that casting call came. >> thank you so much for this opportunity. >> reporter: giving her a chance to bring her lived experience to this role. >> i'm immersing you as an audience into a culture and mindset in which i live. it's a lifestyle. it's not or og fer. >> isn't acting acting? don't actors inhabit other people's lives? >> yes, actors are actors, and everyone i believe should have the opportunity to step into someone else's shoes, but there ar

then i -- the entertainment community is a pretty small community when you break it down, and if mark ruffalofrom mark and then it just kind of moves from there. we identify the people that are from the local area and then we use our rolodexes to get to them. >> all right. for more information, visit the hometownproject.org. piper perabo and peter salett, thank you for being here this morning. joe, off year elections important in their own right but can tell us what to expect the following november. >> they're so important. they really are. katty kay, final thoughts this morning? >> well, i'm watching virginia. i spent most weekends there. it is absolutely packed with election campaign signs at the moment. the rest of the country may not be noticing it, but virginia, again, suggests there is going to be high turnout in this off year election. >> and willie, from off year elections to baseball, game seven tonight in philadelphia. >> there is. and the astros will not be in the world series. texas with a huge win on the road last night. d tonight you cannot ask for a better atmosphere. philadelp