Chris Hemsworth has explained why he hesitated to discuss his family’s history of Alzheimer’s disease, particularly after discovering his own elevated risk of developing the condition.
The actor, renowned for his portrayal of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is set to reprise his iconic role in Avengers: Doomsday this year. Last year, Hemsworth revealed that his father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
In a bid to create lasting memories, he released a documentary with his father, Craig, titled A Road Trip to Remember.
“It was an interesting thing to even consider,” Chris shared with Esquire prior to the documentary’s release with National Geographic. “There was a lot of, as you’d expect, apprehension and concern about how will this be perceived or portrayed?”
He added, “I don’t want to feel like I’m manipulating any of it in any sense, so I asked him: ‘What did you think? What are your feelings about this?’ And he expressed a huge amount of enthusiasm to do it.”
A Road Trip To Remember marks Hemsworth’s second collaboration with National Geographic. In 2022, he released the series Limitless, which delved into longevity. During the show, he explored his family’s history with Alzheimer’s, noting that his maternal grandfather also had the disease.
On Limitless, Hemsworth revealed that he has a genetic predisposition, making him eight to 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
In a conversation with The Guardian, Chris disclosed that it wasn’t ‘an easy decision’ to share such personal details.
The Rush star reflected: “I wondered if I was letting people too far in. Are they no longer going to believe in the action star or the Marvel character? And do I want people to know my fears and insecurities to this level?”
Chris, 42, described his recent documentary as ‘a love letter to [his] father’.
“It empowered him for a period, and stimulated memories that were being taken away from him,” the actor commented.
Additionally, Chris, whose siblings include The Hunger Games‘ Liam Hemsworth and Westworld star Luke Hemsworth, talked about slowing down his career following his father’s diagnosis to spend more time with him and his own children.
“My appetite for racing forward has really been reined in,” he noted. “I’ve become more aware of the fragility of things. You start thinking, ‘My dad won’t be here forever.’ And my kids are now 11 and 13. Those nights where they’d fight over sleeping in our bed – suddenly they’re not happening anymore.”
If you’ve been affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact the Alzheimer’s Association via 800.272.3900 open 24 hours seven days a week.