The actor says reports of his acting break amid his health news made it seem “like I was potentially retiring because of this thing, which just isn’t the case”
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Chris Hemsworth has no plans of retirement despite reports that his acting break was connected to his recent health discoveries.
The Australian Extraction 2 actor, 39, told Entertainment Weekly in a new cover story that the reason for his brief hiatus from work was because he was “exhausted, and I wanted to be home with my family.”
Hemsworth — who shares India, 11, and twins Sasha and Tristan, 9, with wife Elsa Pataky — also found out he has a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s while making his National Geographic show Limitless.
The health discovery made headlines around the time of his acting break, and the two got conflicted in reports.
“It was interesting, because those two headlines got coupled together, that I was taking time off because of the genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s,” Hemsworth told EW.
Related: Chris Hemsworth Praises Wife Elsa Pataky’s ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Forgiveness’ in Their Relationship
“That experience and that show [Limitless] made me go, ‘Oh wow, none of us are invincible.’ It kind of slams you into the moment,” the thor actor continued. “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.’ “
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Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky
Added Hemsworth, “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.”
About his quality time with family during their vacations together, Hemsworth told EW that he’s learned it’s “all about balance.”
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“I realized how restorative and replenishing that time can be, but I also realized how much I need an outlet too. I need to be building something, creating something. As fun as sitting around on the beach all day sounds initially, it sounds very quickly becomes … I don’t want to say mundane, but it’s too familiar.”
“For me,” he said, “I like the spontaneity. I like the unexpected. I like being challenged.”
While making Limitless, Hemsworth underwent genetic testing and learned he has a greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In the episode “Memory,” a doctor tells Hemsworth he has two copies of the APOE4 gene, which is linked to an increased risk of the disease, he revealed to Vanity Fair in November.
Hemsworth said at the time that the news was “shocking.”
“My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and overdramatize it, and make it into some kind of hockey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment,” he added at the time. “It’s not like I’ve handed my resignation.”
Related: Chris Hemsworth Says Kids ‘Loved’ His ‘Extraction 2’ Stunts: ‘They Wanted to Jump In’ (Exclusive)
He also told VanityFair“The show, which initially was an exploration of longevity and, of course, should be fun, became even more relevant and important for me, even more poignant than I ever thought it would be.”
“It was a really good catalyst to dive into everything I needed to be doing in either the prevention front or the management front or however you want to classify it,” said Hemsworth. “It’s not a pre-deterministic gene, but it is a strong indication.”
Extraction 2 is on Netflix Friday.
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