Liam Hemsworth is not his brother Chris

WHEN you interview Liam Hemsworth there’s one question you’re not allowed to ask. But when it comes to his brother, he’s happy to spill the beans.

LIAM Hemsworth may be protecting the world from an alien invasion in Independence Day: Resurgence, (the sequel to the 1996 blockbuster) but here on Earth, the Aussie action hero prefers the quiet life, pottering around his Malibu home planting vegetables and cooking vegan meals.

“I’m pretty domestic,” he tells news.com.au. “I planted my first group of vegetable plants last week — tomato, spinach, parsley and cilantro,” he smiles, proudly. “And I cook a lot too. I’ve become vegan in the last year so I make a lot of beans, rice and salads.”

Presumably this means when big brother Chris and his family come for dinner, there’s no Aussie-style roast lamb on the table?

He laughs. “No. Not anymore, just roast vegetables. I went vegan for the Independence Day shoot and I felt really good so I continued. I have more energy, my sleeping is better, and I have more endurance in my workouts. Also, I did some research about cruelty to animals. Ethically, I didn’t feel good about supporting those industries. It’s not good for the environment, it’s not good for people and certainly not for animals.”

Does his diet still include Vegemite? “Oh yeah, I have a lot of Vegemite. That hasn’t changed.”

His other half, Miley Cyrus, 23, with whom he has enjoyed and endured a tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship since they co-starred in The Last Song, in 2010, also changed her dietary habits and also practices a vegan lifestyle. Although he doesn’t discuss his love life, he did confirm that the couple was not engaged.

The engagement rumour went into overdrive recently when Miley posted a picture of herself on Instagram wearing her ring. Picture: Michael Buckner / Getty Images / Instagram

In contrast to Liam, Chris is a lot more relaxed about his personal life. I talked to his big brother recently, posing the question that perhaps Liam has had a more difficult time in Hollywood (particularly dating such a controversial pop-star as Cyrus) which might explain why he’s a little more protective.

Chris said, “Well, we certainly have differences in our personalities. I think he’s a little more reserved than me. He was like that in high school; he kept things closer to his chest whereas I probably speak too much,” he laughs.

“There are probably times where I go, ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’ I should limit what I’m saying, but he has always been that way, I think.”

Liam and Chris are now great mates but it wasn’t always that way. Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Liam concurs. “I try to create as little attention as possible. Obviously I know people want to know what’s going on, there’s a lot of interest there and I understand that. But I don’t feel the need to go out and tell people about it. It’s more simple that way.”

But it doesn’t always work out the way he’d like. He nods. “Yes, there were some helicopters flying over my house earlier this year,” he says, referring to the day Cyrus moved her belongings into his home.

As with most siblings, relationships are usually a little complicated. Liam offers, “Me and Chris didn’t get along very well when we were kids. Luke and I never had issues, maybe because he’s eight years older and at the time just seemed so much bigger and stronger. But me and Chris, for whatever reason, maybe because we’re both like-minded and stubborn but we’d constantly fight.

“But then again, I was a naughty little kid. I had a real temper and I would throw tantrums all the time and chase Chris with brooms and throw knives at him and all kinds of horrible shit,” he laughs.

“There was one time when my parents went overseas for a couple of months and me and Luke stayed at my grandma and grandpas house. Chris had to stay at my uncle’s house because we were too much trouble for my grandparents. We couldn’t be together without having a fight.”

(from left) Chris, Liam and Luke Hemsworth pictured back in the day when blonde tips were a thing.

But times have changed. If you ask Liam whom he most admires in life, he replies, without missing a beat. “Chris. Chris and Luke.”

Liam followed Chris to Hollywood seven years ago. Now that Chris is back in Australia, living in Byron Bay, perhaps that will influence Liam to return home one day. “Yeah I would definitely love to move back I don’t think I will for a while. I have got a home here now, this is my base and it’s just easier for me to be close to LA for now.”

Liam Hemsworth has settled down in LA, after buying this $US6.8 ($A8.8m) house in Malibu. Picture: Coldwell Banker

It’s less than a month away from the premiere of the highly anticipated Independence Day: Resurgence, in which he fills the formidable shoes of Will Smith. Given the scope of the original (which took in $A400 million worldwide) and Smith’s iconic status, it would be natural to feel a little anxious about taking on the role.

“Well, I felt this same pressure with Hunger Games which was something that had a huge fan base already. Once I take the job, it’s not something that I think about. At the end of the day when I get to work, I am still doing the same job that I do on any other film so that doesn’t play into my mind at all. Initially it might when I first thought about it but it doesn’t weigh on me too much.”

How will the sequel differ the original?

“It’s bigger and better!” he answers, playfully. “It’s a continuation of the story 20 years later but it is a lot bigger than the first one. Everything that comes along with these aliens is bigger.”

Liam Hemsworth stars in Independence Day: Resurgence, opening in theatres nationwide on June 24. Picture: Claudette Barius / 20th Century Fox