Chris Hemsworth has carved out a niche for himself as an A-list actor in Hollywood, thanks to his role as Thor in the Marvel Universe. Before his big break in Hollywood, Hemsworth starred in popular Australian shows like "Neighbours," "The Saddle Club," and "Home and Away." He also managed to play King Arthur in an Australian miniseries called “Guinevere Jones.”
Hemsworth’s debut role as the God of Thunder in the first Thor film helped him to break through to stardom, and the rest is history. He rose to prominence with roles in “Rush", the ”Ghostbusters“ reboot, “Men in Black” and his Marvel role in “Avengers.” Up next, the actor will reprise in the role of Thor, for the fourth time, in “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
Here are 20 facts about Chris Hemsworth, that you probably didn’t know:
20 His Unique Connection With Thor
The word Thursday is derived from Thor, the Norse God of Thunder. In Old English, Thursday meant Thor’s day. And guess what? Chris Hemsworth was born on August 11, 1983, which was a Thursday. Isn’t that a weird coincidence? No wonder, the actor has been playing Thor for almost eight years.
19 Chris Hemsworth's Childhood Nickname is Kip
As a child, Chris Hemsworth struggled hard to pronounce his name. Despite his repeated attempts to say “Christopher,” he ended up saying something that sounded like, “Kiptader.” Therefore, he had the childhood nickname of Kip. Well, it is easier to say, Chris!
18 Chris Hemsworth Got Big Break Playing George Kirk In 2009 Star Trek Reboot
In 2009, Chris Hemsworth starred in “Star Trek” as James T. Kirk's dad, George Kirk. Initially, Hemsworth had auditioned for the role of James Kirk, which went to Chris Pine, because of Pine's physical attributes. However, he managed to secure the role of George instead. Although he had a very short screen presence, the role helped him to win the hearts of the audience through his emotional delivery.
17 His Wife, Spanish Actress Elsa Pataky, Sacrificed Her Career For Him
Elsa Pataky aka Elena Neves is a familiar name in Hollywood, because of the “Fast and the Furious” franchise. The actress was a popular TV actress in Spain before she met Chris Hemsworth. However, the couple realized that it was difficult to pursue their acting careers alongside having kids. So, Pataky put her career on hold to let Hemsworth pursue his dream.
16 In 2018, Hemsworth Shared Screen With His Wife Elsa Pataky in 12 Strong
In 2018, Chris Hemsworth and his wife, Elsa Pataky, shared the screen in 12 Strong. The couple enjoyed a perfect working holiday together, without the kids, and were able to spend some quality time together. It is worth mentioning, that the couple even pulled a few lines from their marriage for the film.
15 Hemsworth Finds The City Life Of L.A. "Suffocating"
Unlike most Hollywood actors who prefer residing in L.A., Chris Hemsworth finds city life “suffocating.” Unless he is shooting, he prefers to live in Byron Bay, Australia. He also avoids conversations related to Hollywood or show business while he is on vacation.
14 Chris Hemsworth Chose His High School Mate As His Trainer-Assistant
When it comes to A-list Hollywood actors, they usually share a vision with a popular designer or industry veteran. However, Chris Hemsworth picked his high school mate as his trainer and assistant. It was Hemsworth’s eagle eyes that followed his friend’s funky loafers and narrow-legged pants and recognized his talent.
13 The Perfect Man For Hugo Boss Bottled
In October 2017, Chris Hemsworth became the brand new face of Hugo Boss Bottled. As per Hugo Boss’s chief brand officer, Ingo Wilts, the idea of “the perfect man” fitted him best, because of his appearance, humble nature and status as a happily-married family man.
12 Chris Hemsworth Admitted His Most Challenging Role Was In Ghostbusters (2016)
Glancing at the filmography of Chris Hemsworth, it is almost impossible to guess the most challenging role of his career. Unlike his confident leading roles in “Avengers: Infinity War” or “Thor: Ragnarok” the actor struggled hard to master the muddled character of the Ghostbusters’ assistant in the 2016 reboot, “Ghostbusters.”
11 Hemsworth Constantly Looks For Different Roles
Considering Hemsworth’s biggest roles, it comes as no surprise that the actor is very particular when selecting his parts. While his major hits involve CGI and action-packed sequences, he is always hunting for character-driven narratives without the excessive usage of special effects or green screens.
10 Chris Hemsworth Has Been Recognized For His Humility By Co-Star Melissa McCarthy
Chris Hemsworth is known for his humility, to the extent that his co-star, Melissa McCarthy, once complained about his perfection. Although the actor says that his humility comes from his home country, it was Sir Anthony Hopkins who advised Hemsworth to treat everyone with respect...and to enjoy every moment as an actor.
9 Spider-Man Star Tom Holland Is A Huge Fan of Chris Hemsworth
Hemsworth shared the screen with co-star, Tom Holland, in “In the Heart of The Sea, long before Holland became the Spider-Man. At that time, Holland was a huge fan of Thor and he bombarded the God of Thunder with questions about his role. In fact, it was Chris Hemsworth who helped Tom Holland to get the role in Spider-Man.
8 He Has Been A Keen Surfer And A Football Player
Chris Hemsworth’s favorite sports are surfing and football. Surfing was his teenage hobby, which turned into his favorite leisure activity to date. Unfortunately, he had to give up his dream career in football due to a shoulder injury, but the Thor actor is still a huge fan of Australian Rules Football.
7 Hemsworth Collects The Prop Hammers From His Films
Although many people wonder how strong Thor is naturally, without his hammer, Chris Hemsworth surely is obsessed with his hammer props. The actor reportedly likes to keep the hammers from every film. Since the hammers vary slightly from one film to the next, Hemsworth has got an impressive collection of quite a few hammers at his home.
6 Chris And His Brother Liam Serve As Spokespeople For The Australian Childhood Foundation
Chris and his brother, Liam Hemsworth, are both notable spokespersons for the Australian Childhood Foundation. The brothers take part in the heartwarming videos and commercials, and Chris also took part in their fundraising event, which offered exciting prizes to Marvel fans. Finally, he helped the ACF to collect over $200,000.
5 The Adorable Sibling Rivalry On Instagram
Chris Hemsworth is the middle child, with an elder brother, Luke, and a younger brother, Liam. The brothers share a unique bond and often amaze the fans with their adorable teasings. On one occasion, Chris scribbled Liam’s image on the cover of Men’s Health magazine and shared it on Instagram. Liam then shot back, by scribbling all over Chris’s image on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine.
4 Recently Parley For Oceans And Chris Hemsworth Teamed Up To Confront Marine Plastic Pollution
As a child, Hemsworth spent most of his time in the ocean. As he grew up, his love for marine life urged him to take steps to protect the marine environment. In 2018, Hemsworth collaborated with Corona Australia to mark World Oceans Day on June 8. Corona and Parley created a huge sculpture of a wave in Melbourne’s Federation Square, made of plastic bottles, with Hemsworth’s image surfing in the wave.
3 The Hemsworths Have Been Criticized By The Locals For Renovating The Byron Bay Mansion
Recently, the Hemsworths have been criticized by locals for the huge renovation project of their mansion in Byron Bay. The $8 million renovation poses some environmental threats and thereby concerns the entire neighborhood. Besides, the traffic flow in the town has increased recently, since it became the home of a celebrity.
2 Tom Hiddleston Has Been Adopted As "Honorary Hemsworth" In The Family
Although Loki shares a complicated relationship with Thor onscreen, the actors share an intimate bond in real life. Actor Tom Hiddleston is, in fact, so close to the Hemsworth family that he has been adopted into the family as an “honorary Hemsworth.”
1 His Avengers Co-Star Chris Evans Calls Him 'Hemmy'
Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are Marvel stars who have known each other for almost a decade...and they've made five films together. The Avengers co-stars met each other at a club in New York and get along almost instantly. The Boston native (Evans) then named the Australian actor “Hemmys”. Chris Hemsworth calls "Captain America", "Evans.”