Chris Hemsworth may look like a typical movie star, but that doesn’t mean he acts like one.
The 39-year-old native Australian has been awarded the coveted title of ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ by People Magazine in 2014. He’s best known for portraying the hammer-wielding Norse god Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2011.
It would be easy for someone like Hemsworth to slip into the typical role of Hollywood lothario, dating the most beautiful women in the world in an endless loop of sex, drugs, and money. Instead, the millionaire actor married Spanish actress Elsa Pataky in 2010 and went on to have three children with her. Most recently, the MCU star said he’s even taking a step back from the spotlight to spend more time with his family after finding out he has a high risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
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The “Limitless” star made the comments during a November interview with Vanity Fair, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
“Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death,” Hemsworth told the publication. “Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen, the reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality.”
The actor explained how he has two copies of the gene APOE4 which makes him “eight to 10 times more likely” to develop Alzheimer’s in the future. He’s part of an estimated 2-3% of the population carrying a copy of the gene from both parents.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive form of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior.
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He said the diagnosis inspired him to do more “outdoorsy and adventurous” things with his wife and three kids.
Hemsworth also said the entire experience has forced him to confront his own mortality.
“Doing an episode on death and facing your own mortality made me go, ‘Oh God, I’m not ready to go yet.’ I want to sit and be in this space with a greater sense of stillness and gratitude,” Hemsworth said at the time.
“And then you start talking about kids and family and going, ‘Oh my God, they’re getting older, they’re growing up and I keep slapping another movie on top of another movie.’ Before you know it, they’re 18 and they’ve moved out of house, and I missed the window.”
Hemsworth got his start acting in his native Australia, playing Kim Hyde on the soap opera “Home and Away.”
He eventually made the transition to Hollywood and reached superstar levels of fame after being cast as Thor in 2011.
Even before realizing he’s susceptible to Alzheimer’s, Hemsworth was talking about prioritizing his family.
“There [are] times when I’ve thought, ‘Wow, because having kids is more important to me, some of my roles have suffered,'” the actor told GQ Australia in 2018. “There [are] definitely a couple of films I could’ve put way more energy into but I was like, ‘No, I’d rather be with my kids.'”
“I often find myself saying it’s all for my family but in all this I definitely have personal things I need to achieve, too,” he continued. “The difference is you have to open yourself up and go, ‘Well, you had kids so you forfeited a bit of that.'”
Hemsworth also talked about raising kids while being famous, saying he and his wife are adamant about instilling the same values that they had growing up.
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“When I think about my kids, I don’t want them to miss that joy,” he said. “Elsa and I talk a lot about how we instill that same appreciation and respect for things. I don’t want them to feel like they’re privileged in any way. The fact that we have money and their parents are famous, that somehow they’re special, that scares me because we grew up with no money.”
But for Hemsworth, it’s not all contemplating sickness and death. The father of three also likes to show off his fun side, which recently earned him some criticism from social media followers.
The “Avengers: Endgame” star posted a photo of one of his 9-year-old twin sons getting cake smashed in his face for his birthday.
Celebrated the 9th birthdays of my two little men this weekend! Only one way to eat cake in this house and that’s to have mum slam your head into it face first!! “Hey mum I don’t like chocolate cake I prefer vanilla” “oh really son, what about now”? @ElsaPataky_ pic.twitter.com/9L2XOXwex7
— Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) March 20, 2023
“Happy 9th birthday to my two little men! Only one way to eat cake in this house and that’s to have mum slam your head into it face first!! ‘Hey mum I don’t like chocolate cake I prefer vanilla’ ‘oh really son, what about now’?” Hemsworth wrote in the image caption.
Several followers expressed their negative feelings about the Marvel star promoting the “violent” practice of cake smashing.
“Yeah, not cool. I would never want another birthday cake in my life. Also, its rude to everyone else who might be eating that cake (or what’s left of it). Its gross, rude, and a good way to ruin your kid’s birthdays for the rest of their lives,” one person wrote, while another declared it “violent” and “not funny.”
Others came to the actor’s defense, saying that he was clearly a fun dad who knew his son would enjoy a prank like that. They also pointed out how cake smashing could be part of his wife’s Spanish heritage.
“How have we come this far as a species only to get more and more sissified?! This is funny and fun,” one commenter wrote. “You know your kids and you know their limits. That boy probably thought this was hilarious.”
“It’s part of Hispanic/Latino culture,” another person said.
Cake smashing aside, Hemsworth has established himself as a committed husband and father over the course of his Hollywood career. Other actors should take note.