by Chris Hemsworth is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today, known for his portrayals of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and for his leading roles in blockbusters like Extraction. Over the course of his career so far, Hemsworth has had the opportunity to work with some of the best directors in the business. In various interviews, he has singled out 4 directors in particular as having taught him the most valuable lessons that have shaped him into the actor he is today. As a big fan of Hemsworth, it’s been fascinating to hear him talk about these influential directors and how each of them has impacted his growth and evolution as a performer. The 4 directors Hemsworth claims to have learned the most from are Jon Favreau, Darren Aronofsky, Ron Howard, and the Russo Brothers.
Jon Favreau was the first major director Hemsworth worked with in his breakout role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Favreau directed Hemsworth in Iron Man 2 in 2010, where Hemsworth made his debut appearance as Thor before Favreau went on to direct him again in the first Avengers film in 2012. Hemsworth has frequently cited Favreau as being hugely instrumental in guiding him through his earliest experiences of blockbuster filmmaking and molding him into a leading man. As Hemsworth told Collider, “Starting out on Iron Man 2 and Avengers with Jon Favreau, who really sort of set the template for the character and established the tone of the films, that was huge.”
According to Hemsworth, Favreau taught him so much about the entire process of visual storytelling. Everything from working with green screens, stunts, and effects to establishing character and tone was masterfully demonstrated by Favreau over those first couple films. In an interview with CinemaBlend, Hemsworth stated, “Jon taught me a lot about the actual process of filmmaking. How to use a green screen and not be intimidated by the scale of these big blockbuster movies.” The guidance and mentorship from Favreau gave Hemsworth the confidence as an actor to grow into the role of Thor and propelled his career to new heights.
The next director Hemsworth claims taught him immensely is Darren Aronofsky, who directed him in the 2018 film Noah. Working with Aronofsky represented a dramatic shift away from the big budget action films Hemsworth was used to at that point, and provided him with the chance to flex some different acting muscles. On learning from Aronofsky’s directing style, Hemsworth told Uproxx, “Darren taught me how to be present and truthful on set.” He expanded on how the experience with Aronofsky enhanced his abilities in a Red Bulletin interview, saying “That was something I hadn’t considered before, how it makes such a difference to the crew and the energy when you’re fully in it. That’s what you need.”
According to Hemsworth, seeing Aronofsky’s passion, creativity, and singular focus up close was hugely eye-opening and pushed him out of his comfort zone in all the right ways as a performer. Hemsworth brought the valuable lessons about raw presence he learned from Aronofsky back with him to the Marvel films and they became a part of his process for inhabiting and redefining Thor going forward.
Academy Award winning director Ron Howard is another famous filmmaker who Hemsworth says had a big educational impact on his trajectory. Howard directed Hemsworth in the 2013 racing biopic Rush, where Hemsworth took on the challenging real life role of 1970s Formula 1 driver James Hunt. In an interview with Men’s Health, Hemsworth spoke about how supportive and encouraging Howard was during the production of Rush, saying “Ron was constantly empowering you. All of his notes were about being free and not being afraid to try things.”
He went on to elaborate on how Howard’s leadership allowed him to take risks and become that much more comfortable in his abilities. As Hemsworth told Collider, “Ron was fantastic at guiding me through it and alleviating that fear of playing someone else and whether or not I can truly embody it.” The confidence boost he got from collaborating with Howard was invaluable and Hemsworth said it truly made him feel like he could take on any character moving forward.
Finally, Hemsworth credits the Russo Brothers, directors of several of his Marvel films, for teaching him invaluable lessons about what it takes to lead an ensemble. After working with the Russos on Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, Hemsworth had nothing but praise for their ability to juggle so many characters and storylines simultaneously. He called them “incredibly nurturing directors” in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, stating that “The Russos taught me a lot about doing an ensemble piece and service to the greater story.”
Hemsworth went on to tell Men’s Journal that the Russos kept him grounded and focused on the core of his character amid the sprawling casts. As he stated, “In order for it to work, they said, ‘You’ve got to anchor it in some kind of human level truth.'” By emphasizing character development and emotional reality, the Russos enabled Hemsworth to evolve his portrayal of Thor in bold new ways over the course of their collaborative films.
When asked by Collider who has most shaped him as an actor so far, Hemsworth instantly named Favreau, Aronofsky, Howard, and the Russos as the directors who taught him the most thus far. It just shows how insightful and skilled they all are that they were able to bring out the best in Hemsworth and provide him with knowledge he still carries throughout his illustrious career. Any director who gets to work with Hemsworth in the future has an incredibly high bar set by those he has learned the most from already. As a lifelong fan, it has been amazing getting to watch how these four directors developed Hemsworth’s talents over the years into the powerhouse actor he is today. Whatever project he takes on next, I know Hemsworth will continue growing and surprising audiences with the skills cultivated under the tutelage of these brilliant filmmakers.
