Chris Hemsworth told Vanity Fair that he plans on taking some time off after the press tour for his Disney+ series “Limitless” concludes. In the fifth episode of the series “Limitless”, where he explores ways to extend his life and combat aging, Hemsworth meets with a doctor, who confirms that he has a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease.
According to Vanity Fair: “His makeup includes two copies of the gene APOE4, one from his mother, the other from his father, which studies have linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”
“They took all my bloodwork and did a bunch of tests and the plan was to on-camera tell me all the results and then talk about how you can improve this and that,” Hemsworth discussed with Vanity Fair on Thursday. Peter Attia, who is the longevity medical doctor in that particular episode, and overseeing much of the show, Darren Aronofsky 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.’ It was pretty shocking because he called me up and he told me.”
Hemsworth responded, “I thought, ‘No, look if this is a motivator for people to take better care of themselves and also understand that there are steps you can take – then fantastic.’ My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and overdramatize it, and make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment.”
Upon hearing the news, Hemsworth said he “had a bunch of questions,” later adding that he “didn’t really know what to think. I was like, ‘Am I supposed to be worried? Is this concerning?’”
Further, he noted that the show “became even more relevant and important for me, even more poignant than I ever thought it would be,” adding that APOE4 is “not a pre-deterministic gene, but it is a strong indication. Ten years ago, I think it was more thought of as determinant.”
The actor told Vanity Fair that his grandfather suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. “I haven’t seen him in a few years, but my other family members have and there are some days where he’s quite joyful and gives you a big hug,” Hemsworth remarked.
“My mum was saying he’s just a really friendly guy. “I’m not sure he actually remembers much anymore and he slips in and out of Dutch, which is his original language.
“I think that’s my favorite episode. That’s where I worked with the death doula and people who worked in palliative care and end of life care and then spoke to a number of people who were at the end of their days or coming upon them – even younger people that were diagnosed with cancer and didn’t have long to live,” he shared.
“Doing an episode on death and facing your own mortality made me go, ‘Oh God, I’m not ready to go yet,’” he told Vanity Fair. “I want to sit and be in this space with a greater sense of stillness and gratitude.” He also realized his kids — daughter India Rose, 10, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, 8 — won’t be kids forever.
“It really triggered something in me to want to take some time off. …. 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,” he said. “Be with the kids, be with my wife.”
“It was confronting initially, but very quickly it became a self-deprecating sort of joke, if you will,” he said. “It’s just the way I am, my family, there’s a sense of humor.
“And such is life.”
“Limitless” is now streaming on Disney+.
Chris Hemsworth has recently reigned supreme as the MCU’s God of Thunder in his fourth solo outing in this summer’s “Thor: Love and Thunder” and is looking forward to appearing in another sequel, next year’s “Extraction 2.” He is also taking on a role that still needs to be revealed for 2024’s “Furiosa,” which will also star Anya Taylor-Joy and will take place in the world of “Mad Max.”
