Chris Hemsworth has provided an update after a shocking health discovery led to rumours he may be quitting Hollywood.
The 41-year-old Thor star found that he had a genetic disposition to Alzheimers, making him eight to ten times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
During filming for Limitless, a Disney+ show exploring different ways humans can live healthier and for longer, Hemsworth faced a series of epic physical challenges, including diving into ice-cold waters or climbing skyscrapers.
Although Hemsworth did not expect to receive the “intense” news on the “fun” show, he has since used the findings to reprioritise his life as he shared a deeply personal update on the impact the discovery has had on his life and relationships.
The actor is married to Spanish model and actor Elsa Pataky, with the couple sharing three children together, including twin sons and a daughter.
“The imagined scenario is always worse than the reality,” he told Body + Soul Magazine.“But it definitely made me pause and think about my future.”
He explained that his high expectations for himself led to him paying less attention to his body.
“I used to have the mentality that if I’m not crawling out of the gym, I haven’t worked hard enough,” he continued.
“But I’m also listening to my body more, being patient with the process, and not just smashing myself in every single session.”
He explained that he has reconsidered the sustainability of his previous work-life balance, both for his health and his relationship with his family and children.
“I would go from job to job and be stressed,” he shared. “I was always giving an extra 20 percent of my time. Sometimes it just ended up being excessive, and sometimes it had diminishing returns.”
He added, “There may be a project I’d love, but doing it means less time at home. Alternatively, I can see that I’ve been at home enough to feel like I’m not going to go to work and be full of guilt that I should be home.
And that’s sort of the daily conversation we all have in our lives, whether you’re in this business or another.”
Hemsworth has previously hit out at rumours that the discovery of his predisposition to dementia had led to him retiring.
“It really kind of pissed me off because it felt like I had been vulnerable with something personal and shared this,” he told Vanity Fair.
“No matter how much I said: ‘This is not a death sentence,’ the story became that I have dementia and I’m reconsidering life and retiring and so on.”
