Lou Ferrigno Jr. seems to have had a good relationship with his dad, Lou Ferrigno, while growing up. Able to go on set and watch his father play the Hulk, Ferrigno Jr. has even followed in his father's footsteps.
Ferrigno's son is an actor himself. The two have enjoyed a close relationship overall. Like anyone else, celebrities have all different types of relationships with their families.
Ferrigno Jr. enjoyed his relationship with his father growing up, even becoming a body-builder and an actor himself. But it seems things were different for his dad. Lou Ferrigno had a different relationship with his own father, one that wasn't as positive as the connection Ferrigno shared with his own son.
Despite this, Ferrigno had a good relationship with his children. Lou Ferrigno Jr. enjoyed growing up with his actor father, Lou Ferrigno.
What Was It Like Growing Up With The Hulk?
For fans watching The Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno was the big, green monster Bill Bixby's Bruce Banner transformed into when he was angry. For Lou Ferrigno Jr., the hulk went by a different name: dad. Ferrigno Jr. wrote in a piece to Fatherly, "What I remember most from those early years is thinking my father worked a lot."
Ferrigno Jr. continued, "He was constantly on set. The good news was that, a lot of times, we traveled across the country and across the globe to be with him." It seems that even though Lou Ferrigno was filming a lot, he wanted to have his family with him.
Ferrigno Jr. also revealed to Fatherly, "But what I mostly remember is that my dad was always just really nice. Whenever we had an attitude, he said, 'Be nice.' It might sound trite or cliché but if you live by those words, like my dad does, it becomes pretty profound."
Commenting on his relationship growing up with his dad, he stated, "In some ways, my dad's disability made us closer. Whenever I'm speaking to him, I have to be very conscious of how enunciate my words and how loud I talk because he reads lips."
Discussing their close connection, Ferrigno Jr. said, "But over the years, we've grown so close we can have a full conversation across the room. He's so in tune with me and I know how he thinks. It's a special bond I wouldn't necessarily have had otherwise."
Of course, as with almost any relationship between a parent and a child, there were some bumps on the road. "There was definitely a time when I was like, 'How am I going to live up to this?'" Ferrigno Jr. told Men's Health. "His and my relationship wasn't good. It took some time, and it took a lot of soul-searching, but I came to see him as a teammate and coach, rather than the opposition."
Lou Ferrigno Jr. Followed In His Father's Footsteps
Some children who have parents in the spotlight or working behind the scenes go on to follow in their parents' footsteps. One who's done this is Lou Ferrigno's son and namesake, Lou Ferrigno Jr., who was also a bodybuilder. He got bit by the acting bug after a small role. Since then, he's appeared on several TV shows, including How I Met Your Mother and S.W.A.T. As well as his TV roles, he can also be seen in the films Dreamcatcher and Nightshade, among others.
After a small walk-on role in the film, CAGE II, Lou Ferrigno Jr. immediately knew what he wanted to do. He told Men's Health, "That was the moment I knew I was going to be an actor the rest of my life. It happened in a literal instant."
In his article to Fatherly, Ferrigno Jr. revealed his determination to make it on his own talents, not just his father's fame. "It made me driven to show that I’m more than just some successful dude’s son. Of course, I’ve used the name as my accelerant into the Hollywood industry. It’s a hard business."
After comparing himself to his father, Lou Ferrigno Jr. told Men's Health that he realized he could find his own way. "My dad is just a big guy. Big heart, big man, big hands, big altogether. I just didn't match that." He continued, "But then there came a point when I was studying the craft of acting, digging deep into what building a character is, that I realized I can do a lot of different things. So why compare when I just have to carve my own path?"
What Was It Like For Lou Ferrigno Growing Up With His Father?
Best known for his iconic character on the show The Incredible Hulk, bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno won Mr. Universe twice and was a runner-up in the Mr. Olympia competition. He and Arnold Schwarzenegger both appear in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron. He can also be seen showing off his acting skills in TV shows like King of Queens, and in films including I Love You, Man. Unfortunately, things weren't easy for the bodybuilding actor in his youth.
Lou Ferrigno has maintained a close and healthy relationship with his kids. Unfortunately, Ferrigno had a different relationship with his father than he has with his own children. In his interview with Men's Health, Ferrigno mentioned his "father was abusive", which led to his fascination with power and comic books.
In an interview with bigcomicpage.com, Lou Ferrigno discussed the challenges he faced growing up. "My biggest challenge was adversity. When I was young I lost around 80% of my hearing, and that made me extremely introverted as a child. I had to work very hard on my speech."
Ferrigno told Men's Health what might have initially sparked his interest in bodybuilding and even playing the role of the Hulk. "I would read the Hulk comic books, the Superman comics. I fantasized about being stronger than anybody else. I just loved strength."
Ferrigno also mentioned that he didn't want to be like his father, and he wants his kids to communicate with him. "I didn't want to be like my father. My father never had the ability to say he was wrong, he was sorry...I didn't want to be like him with my kids. That's why I let my kids speak when they're angry."
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