Chris Hemsworth, best known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, announces that he is taking a break from acting due to his increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Following some unexpected medical news, Chris Hemsworth is prioritizing his health and family.
The 39-year-old actor, who is set to star in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, told Vanity Fair that he would take a break from acting after learning he has two copies of the APOE4 gene. This genetic predisposition puts him at a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease. He knew of this while getting bloodwork done for his new Disney+ show Limitless, which is about time, aging, and dying.
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After initially planning to have a doctor explain everything to him on camera, he told the magazine that all changed when he received the results: “Peter Attia, who is the longevity doctor in that episode, and overseeing a lot of the show, called [show creator] Darren [Aronofsky] and said, ‘I don’t want to tell him this on camera. We need to have an off-side conversation and see if he even wants this to be in the show.'”
Hemsworth took the call off-camera with his parents in the room. They all had a lot of questions, especially since Hemsworth’s grandfather is living with Alzheimer’s and struggling with his memory.
He explained that having to navigate these conversations felt “intense.” “Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it. We all have this belief that we’ll figure it out. Then to all of a sudden, be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen, and the reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality.”
“The show, which initially was an exploration of longevity and, of course, should be fun, became even more relevant and important for me, even more, poignant than I ever thought it would be,” he continued. “It was a really good catalyst to dive into everything I needed to be doing in either the prevention front or the management front or however you want to classify it.”
After gathering this information, Hemsworth has decided to stop acting so he can have a break and more time with his family. He was born in Australia and married a Spanish model and actress named Elsa Pataky. They have three young children together. His career started taking off around 2011 when he played Thor in the movie “Thor” from the Marvel Cinematic Universe series.
“[Doing Limitless] really triggered something in me to want to take some time off,” he added. “And since we finished the show, I’ve been completing the things I was already contracted to do. Now when I finish this tour this week, I’m going home, and I’m going to have a good chunk of time off and just simplify. Be with the kids, be with my wife.”
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological condition that worsens over time, causing problems with memory, thinking, and other mental abilities. Estimates 5.8 million Americans aged 65 or older have Alzheimer’s. Currently, there is no cure for the illness; however certain drugs may help lessen symptoms.
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