Chris Hemsworth takes acting break after Alzheimer's warning

The actor will take "a good chunk of time off" to "simplify" after learning of his genetic predisposition to the degenerative brain disorder. 

The actor will take "a good chunk of time off" to "simplify" after learning of his genetic predisposition to the degenerative brain disorder. 

Chris Hemsworth will take some time off acting once the press tour for his new Disney+ documentary series Limitless wraps, after discovering that he has “increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”

In the fifth episode of the series, the 39-year-old actor underwent a slew of genetic tests, which, as he tells Vanity Fair, confirmed his “biggest fear”: a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s. The results showed that he has two copies of the gene APOE4, from both his mother and father, which has been linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disorder. 

According to a 2021 study, only 2-3% of people have both copies of the gene. The actor’s grandfather is currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and Hemsworth is eight to 10 times more likely to develop the disease. Though, “it’s not like I’ve been handed my resignation.”

“It’s 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 notes that he was offered a version of the episode where “we didn’t talk” about the Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

"The plan was to on-camera tell me all the results and then talk about how you can improve this and that,” Hemsworth told Vanity Fair. “And Peter Attia, who is the longevity doctor in that episode, and overseeing a lot of the show, called [show creator] Darren [Aronofsky] and 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.’”

Still, he felt that showing the conversation was an important "motivator for people to take better care of themselves" and to improve the understanding of "preventative steps" that can be taken to combat Alzheimers. 

“My concern was I just didn't want to manipulate it and overdramatise it, and make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment,” he adds.

Shooting Limitless, which explores the pursuit of living longer, and confronting one's own mortality, inspired Hemsworth to take a break from acting.

“It really triggered something in me to want to take some time off,” Hemsworth said. Noting that after he finishes the promotional tour for Limitless, the actor plans on returning to his Byron Bay home “to have a good chunk time off and just simplify.”

“Be with the kids, be with my wife,” he adds. Hemsworth is married to actor Elsa Pataky, and they have three children together.

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky.

Hemsworth has completed production on George Miller’s forthcoming Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa, and Netflix’s Extraction 2.

Limitless is now streaming on Disney+.