Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor and film producer known for playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He first gained attention as Kim Hyde on the Australian soap opera Home and Away before becoming a leading man in films such as Rush, Extraction and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Personal life
Hemsworth has been married to Spanish actress Elsa Pataky since 2010. They have three children: a daughter, India Rose, and twin sons, Tristan and Sasha. The family moved from Los Angeles to Byron Bay, New South Wales, in 2015.
Hemsworth is the middle of three brothers. Luke Hemsworth and Liam Hemsworth are also actors. His parents are Leonie Hemsworth, an English teacher, and Craig Hemsworth, a social-services counsellor.
Home and Away and Hollywood breakthrough
Hemsworth began acting in Australian television, with early appearances in Guinevere Jones, Neighbours, Marshall Law and The Saddle Club. In 2004, after unsuccessfully auditioning for Robbie Hunter, he was recalled for the role of Kim Hyde on Home and Away. He played the character until 2007.
His first Hollywood appearance came in J. J. Abrams's Star Trek (2009), in which he played George Kirk, the father of James T. Kirk. He followed it with roles in A Perfect Getaway and Ca$h, his first film after arriving in the United States. He also competed on the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars in 2006 and was the fifth contestant eliminated.
Becoming Thor
Hemsworth's breakthrough as a film star came with Thor (2011), in which he played the Marvel superhero Thor Odinson. He returned to the role in The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).
The character placed Hemsworth at the centre of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and established his screen partnership with Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki. Their relationship as Thor and Loki became a recurring part of the franchise, and critics praised their chemistry in Thor: The Dark World.
Hemsworth is scheduled to return as Thor in Avengers: Doomsday. He also provided the voice of Thor in What If...? and appeared as Throg in Loki.
Leading roles beyond Marvel
Alongside his Marvel work, Hemsworth played the Huntsman in Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016). He received praise for portraying Formula One driver James Hunt in Ron Howard's Rush (2013), and he later worked with Howard again in In the Heart of the Sea (2015).
His other major roles include Kevin in Ghostbusters (2016), Captain Mitch Nelson in 12 Strong (2018), Agent H in Men in Black: International (2019) and Tyler Rake in the Extraction films. Extraction, released in 2020, set a Netflix viewership record after being watched by 90 million households during its initial month.
Hemsworth played the warlord Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024), a performance that drew strong critical attention. He also voiced Orion Pax and Optimus Prime in Transformers One (2024).
Limitless and public work
Hemsworth presented and executive-produced the National Geographic documentary series Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (2022), which explored physical endurance, longevity and approaches to human health. The series included challenges involving icy Arctic water, extended fasting and an Indigenous Australian ceremony.
During the series, Hemsworth learned that he had inherited two high-risk copies of the APOE4 gene, one from each parent. The finding indicated that he was eight to ten times more likely than the general population to eventually develop Alzheimer's disease, and it led him to become a prominent advocate for brain health.
He created the fitness and wellness app Centr and supports the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League. In 2021, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the performing arts and charitable organisations.
Quick facts
- Chris Hemsworth played Kim Hyde on the Australian soap opera Home and Away from 2004 to 2007.
- Hemsworth played George Kirk, James T. Kirk's father, in the opening scenes of Star Trek (2009).
- Hemsworth gained 20 pounds of muscle for the role of Thor.
- Hemsworth portrayed Formula One world champion James Hunt in Rush (2013).
- Extraction was watched by 90 million households during its initial month and broke Netflix's previous viewership record.
- Hemsworth played the warlord Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024).
- Hemsworth voiced Orion Pax and Optimus Prime in Transformers One (2024).
- Hemsworth learned that he had inherited two high-risk APOE4 gene variants, one from each parent, during Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.
- Hemsworth was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours.
- Hemsworth competed on the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars in 2006 and was the fifth contestant eliminated.
FAQs about Chris Hemsworth
How many marriages has Chris Hemsworth had?
Chris Hemsworth has had one marriage. He married Spanish actress Elsa Pataky in 2010.
What did Chris Hemsworth test positive for?
Hemsworth learned through genetic testing that he had inherited two high-risk copies of the APOE4 gene, which is associated with a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.
What is the age gap between Chris Hemsworth and his wife?
The age gap between Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky is seven years. Hemsworth was 27 and Pataky was 34 when they married in 2010.
Who was Chris Hemsworth's first wife?
Chris Hemsworth's first wife is Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, whom he married in 2010.
Also view
Suggest an edit to this profile
Spotted something wrong or missing? Tell us what should change and, if you can, where you saw it.