Luke Hemsworth had to work twice as hard to make it in Hollywood due to his famous last name
Luke Hemsworth says he’s had to work twice as hard to make it in Hollywood due to his famous last name. Find out how he did it.
Confidential
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Nearly 20 years after getting his start on Neighbours, actor Luke Hemsworth says he never imagined he would ever make in Hollywood.
The Westworld star told Confidential that making it in Tinseltown was never part of his plan and his famous last name made it harder to succeed.
“I’ve probably had to work harder for most of the stuff that I do,” Hemsworth, 38, said.
“There are doors that are open but also there’s a stigma that comes with that. There’s an expectation that you need to conform to some sort of idea of what that is but I just go about my day and do my work and my preparation and make sure that I’m on top of my game as much as I can.
“I can’t do anything more than that. People’s expectations are people’s expectations and I don’t change anything in order to live up to that.”
The former soap star plays Ashley Stubbs on the hit US sci-fi series Westworld, which is in its third season and has earned three Golden Globe nods.
“I actually never saw [acting] as a career, there’s a moment in an actor’s life when you start saying you’re an actor on your custom’s form and you go ‘oh maybe I am’,” he laughed.
“Up until that point it’s kind of just something you do. I think you hope for it and the day that you’re able to pay for stuff with money from your acting job is a big day. You don’t make a lot of money for a long time as an actor, it’s always many, many years before [you get there] financially.
“We grew up and we were definitely not really poor, but definitely weren’t wealthy. We were a working-class background, living check to check so Hollywood was something that was a fantasy, so far away … that was always [my brother] Chris’ dream.”
Hemsworth, who had a humble upbringing in the outback, stars alongside acclaimed actors Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton in Westworld. He plays head of security Ashley Stubbs and said accepting the role was a no-brainer after first reading the script.
“There’s a list of boxes which you kind of tick, this had incredible creators – the writing was amazing,” he said.
“The first script that I read was just beautiful and the creators, you’ve got Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris [and more],” he said.
“It’s shot in LA so I got to drive to and from work and sleep in my own bed, I love sci fi, I love westerns, it becomes boring because you go ‘this is stupid, this is the greatest show in the world, this is the best job I’ve ever had.”
As Hemsworth continues to conquer Hollywood, there’s a growing fascination with his private life, particularly as it relates to his bond with younger brothers Liam, 30, and Chris, 36.
All three brothers have launched successful acting careers in the US, which has many wondering whether there’s ever any sibling rivalry.
“No, only in the surf. That’s the only time we ever come to blows,” Hemsworth joked.
Westworld Season 3 will screen on Fox Showcase and stream on Foxtel from Monday, March 16 at midday, express from the US.
Originally published as Luke Hemsworth had to work twice as hard to make it in Hollywood due to his famous last name