Chris Hemsworth Says His Alzheimer’s Risk Was “Overdramatized”: “Headlines Got Coupled Together”

Missing Chris Hemsworth? Never fear! The Thor star, who took a break from acting last year, wants fans to rest assured that his hiatus is not directly related to the discovery of his high Alzheimer’s risk.

The startling news, which was revealed to him during his time filming his National Geographic series Limitless, made headlines last November. According to Vanity Fair, Hemsworth learned that he has two copies of the APOE4 gene — a gene that has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s — while being genetically tested for the film.

Additionally, Hemsworth’s grandfather has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, leading him to believe that he is eight to 10 times more likely to eventually develop the disease, according to Entertainment Weekly.

After the news broke, there was talk of Hemsworth taking a hiatus from acting, or even pursuing full-blown retirement, due to this health issue. However, Hemsworth spoke with EW and informed them of a potential mix-up.

“I decided to take some time off because I was exhausted, and I wanted to be home with my family,” Hemsworth told EW. “It was interesting, because those two headlines got coupled together, that I was taking time off because of the genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s.”

While Hemsworth initially considered hiding the news of his test results, he came to the decision that he should share it with the public in order to promote health mindfulness.

“That experience and that show [Limitless] made me go, ‘Oh wow, none of us are invincible,'” Hemsworth shared with EW. “It kind of slams you into the moment. You start asking bigger questions, and you think, ‘I need to slow down and just experience this moment now and not have the years race by.’ It was a positive in that sense, but it got a little over-dramatized, like I was potentially retiring because of this thing. Which just isn’t the case.”

Hemsworth said he has become more reflective now, especially with his wife Elsa Pataky and three children at home to consider.

“My kids are in school, and they’re of the age where it’s not as easy to upheave their life and travel across the world,” he added.

Nonetheless, you can still expect Hemsworth in some upcoming projects, including starring with Anya Taylor-Joy in Furiosa, a George Miller-directed film expected to hit theaters in late May 2024.

If this news still has you missing Hemsworth on the big screen, be sure to check out his newest film, Extraction 2, which will be streaming on Netflix June 16.