Does Lou Ferrigno Have a Twin Brother? Exploring the Feud Between the Ferrigno Brothers
He is one of the most popular actors on television in the 20th century, as his role became iconic. But before talking about him, we should ask: Does Lou Ferrigno have a twin brother?.
If the name Lou Ferrigno doesn’t ring a bell, you’ll likely recognize him when we say he was the actor from the Hulk TV series. Now, you might have a clearer idea of whom we’re talking about.
In this regard, Lou Ferrigno was the person who played Hulk in the television series that became popular in the late 1970s. Of course, in many parts of the world, it was in the 1980s when it truly exploded in popularity.
Ferrigno became so famous that his image traveled the world and became synonymous with Hulk when discussing this character.
But does Lou Ferrigno have a twin brother? This might seem even more incredible, but yes, he has a brother.
Does Lou Ferrigno have a twin brother? The Life of the Actor
We’ll share with you a bit of the history of this actor, Lou Ferrigno, a multifaceted figure with a long career in television.
Lou was born in Brooklyn, New York (USA), on November 9, 1951. By the time he was two years old,
Lou suffered a severe ear infection that resulted in an 80% hearing loss. His father was a police lieutenant in the Bronx, New York; he was a great weightlifting enthusiast, a passion he quickly passed on to his son.
Lou took his first steps in the world of weightlifting in his basement, with only a small set of weights and a bench. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, he tried to compensate for his hearing loss through bodybuilding.
Does Lou Ferrigno have a twin brother?
For Lou Ferrigno, his physique was ideal for bodybuilding.
Standing at 6 feet 5 inches (1.95 meters) tall and with a well-built figure, he had a significant advantage over other competitors, who were usually shorter and less physically endowed.
In fact, in 1970, he became Mr. Teenage America, and later Mr. America in 1973 and Mr. Universe that same year, held in the Italian city of Verona, as well as the following year.
In 1975, he would face Arnold Schwarzenegger, a confrontation that had been postponed several times.
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They met at the Mr. Olympia competition in South Africa, which turned out to be Arnold’s last consecutive victory before his temporary retirement. Lou placed third.
Additionally, Lou played American football in the Canadian league before fully committing to the entertainment business.
But we would still like to know, does Lou Ferrigno have a twin brother? Let’s continue with a bit more of Lou’s history.
Acting Career and Other Projects of Lou Ferrigno
He made his big-screen debut in 1977 with the documentary Pumping Iron, which also featured a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. What he didn’t know was that from that year on, his life would change radically.
He was cast for a new series called The Incredible Hulk, alongside Bill Bixby. With his face made up, Lou became the beast Hulk, a character that became popular among millions of children and teenagers worldwide, making it one of the most popular series of the 1970s.
The series ran for five years until it was canceled in 1982, allowing Lou to continue his film career without abandoning sports.
As part of those muscular characters, Ferrigno made a place for himself in Italian cinema in the 1980s, attempting to embody mythological heroes with Hercules (1983), The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (1983), and two years later, Hercules II (1985).
That same year, Lou was part of the cast of the ABC series Trauma Center, which aired from September to December of that year.
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The series starred James Naughton, with Ferrigno playing the role of paramedic John Six.
The most influential producer at the time, Menahem Golan, had the idea of producing remakes of successful classic works.
For the third version of Sinbad the Sailor, previously starring Douglas Fairbanks and Sabu, Lou had to drop from his average weight of 115 kg (253 lbs) to less than 95 kg (209 lbs) to fit the role without any issues.
Filmography of Lou Ferrigno
- The Hulk (2003)
- Ping! (2000)
- Frogtown II (1993)
- Hangfire (1991)
- The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990)
- Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989)
- The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989)
- The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988)
- The Adventures of Hercules (1985)
- The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (1984)
- Hercules (1983)
In 2022, fans could see him as an actor in the Paramount Plus series The Offer, where he played Lenny Montana. He has also made various cameos in film and TV.
From 1996 to 2007, Lou Ferrigno hosted the show The King of Fitness and also a radio show called Lou Ferrigno’s Ultimate Workout.
Since 2003, he has voiced Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
He had a cameo alongside Stan Lee in the 2003 film Hulk, starring Eric Bana, and in the 2008 film starring Edward Norton.
Participation in Bodybuilding Competitions by Lou Ferrigno
He won the Mr. America contest in 1971 and 1973, and came in second in 1972. He participated in several Mr. Olympia tournaments, finishing second in 1974, third in 1975, 12th in 1992, and 10th in 1993.
In addition to bodybuilding, he competed in the 1977 World’s Strongest Man competition, finishing in fourth place, proving that he was also a strongman.
Does Lou Ferrigno Have a Twin Brother? Controversies
Lou’s career has been filled with controversies, one of the most recent being when he accused his daughter of abusing and mistreating her mother, Carla Green Ferrigno.
The actor married Carla in 1980, and from that love, their three children were born: Shanna, Louis, and Brent.
According to legal documents, the actor filed a restraining order against Shanna, alleging that she and her aunt had been “financially exploiting” his wife.
Lou claimed that his eldest daughter took advantage of his wife’s condition, withdrew a large sum of money, and manipulated her against him.
Despite being separated from Carla, Ferrigno is in charge of the family trust and finances.
Amid these controversies, many believed that Lou had a twin brother, but this is not true; it’s just an unfounded rumor. He does have two brothers, one of whom is Andrew.
The Dispute Between the Ferrigno Brothers
Lou and Andrew engaged in a legal battle over a brand name. Andrew had named his exercise equipment business “Andrew Ferrigno Exercise Equipment.” Lou Ferrigno wanted Andrew to remove the word “Exercise” from the business name.
Prior to this, Lou sued Andrew for not clarifying that his company had no affiliation with Lou Ferrigno’s business.
Andrew agreed to do so but did not remove the word “Exercise.” After being sued twice, Andrew finally changed the name of his business to “Andrew Ferrigno Equipment.”
Andrew Ferrigno’s Controversial Interview on TMZ
As the entire case became public, various media outlets sought an exclusive interview, and TMZ managed to interview Lou’s brother.
Andrew, who had gone through all the legal battles, once openly expressed his feelings in a 2015 interview with TMZ.
“My brother has money, why does he need to squeeze me? I’m so baffled by the fact that an actor of his stature would stoop so low as to sue his own brother twice,” Andrew said.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court in Trenton, claimed that the store had a green awning, parts of the interior were green, and a green wall was covered with photos of Lou Ferrigno in bodybuilding poses, as well as his signature green makeup for his role as Hulk.
The lawsuit also accused the New Jersey business of cybersquatting by registering the Internet domain name www.ferrignofitness.com.
Lou Ferrigno claimed he had been using that corporate name for his own businesses.
Does Lou Ferrigno Have a Twin Brother? Definitely not, but it is true that he had this unfortunate litigation, as that business was initially created with his father and younger brother.