Chris Hemsworth, also known as Thor, is taking a break from acting due to Alzheimer’s illness.
After undergoing thorough testing for his upcoming Disney+ reality series Limitless, he discovered two copies of the gene APOE4, one from each of his parents.
His grandfather has also been diagnosed with the disease.
APOE4 is the “strongest risk factor gene for Alzheimer’s disease,” according to a National Institute on Aging research.
“I’ve been finishing the tasks I was already contracted to accomplish since we completed the show,” he explained. “Now, when I complete this tour this week, I’m going home and taking some time off to just simplify. Be with the kids and my wife.”
Chris is now determined to spend as much time as possible with his wife and children. He noticed how much time he spends on work rather than with his family and wants to change his habit.
“Doing a death episode and facing your own mortality made me go, ‘Oh God, I’m not ready to go yet,’” he explained.
“Then you start talking about kids and family, and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, they’re getting older, they’re growing up, and I keep slapping another movie on top of another movie. They’re 18 before you realize it, and they’ve moved out, and I missed everything.”
In the episode, Hemsworth’s doctor informs him that the gene he carries increases his risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 8-10 times. The actor, however, did not want to accentuate this or create the idea that he had a diagnosis. “I was offered a version of the program in which we didn’t discuss anything,” he explained.
“I thought to myself, ‘No, look, if this is a motivator for people to take better care of themselves and understand that there are actions you can take — terrific.’ My fear was that I wouldn’t twist it, overdramatize it, and turn it into some sort of clumsy attempt at empathy or something for entertainment.”
He is taking a break from acting, but it is not guaranteed that he will not return to the big screen. Extraction 2 and the Furiosa prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road are currently under production.
“It’s not like I’ve been handed my resignation,” Hemsworth added. He’s utilizing this time to reflect on the things that are most important to him. “You never know when your time is up, and you never know what tomorrow holds,” he explained.
“Whether or if any of this information helps you live longer, the point is to live better right now,” he continued. “Whatever you do right now to enhance your future self has a significant impact on your current self.”
We wish this amazing performer a long and healthy life!
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