by In a shocking revelation that is sure to stun Marvel fans around the world, Chris Hemsworth has admitted that he never actually felt “cool” while playing the iconic role of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Speaking in a candid new interview, Hemsworth opened up about his experiences portraying the God of Thunder over the last decade, confessing that despite Thor’s larger-than-life onscreen persona, Hemsworth often felt like an outsider and an “awkward kid” behind-the-scenes.
“I never really felt cool or like I fully fit the part when I was playing Thor,” Hemsworth revealed. “I know the character comes across as this bold, confident, stoic superhero – but I’ve always been a bit awkward and goofy. I always felt like I was just playing dress-ups.”
Hemsworth’s surprising admission gives rare insight into the inner-life and self-perception of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Despite his great success playing Thor in multiple billion-dollar Marvel blockbusters, Hemsworth apparently struggled to see himself as the “cool” superhero that so many adoring fans around the world have come to idolize.
“There’s always been this gap between who I really am, and who Thor is perceived to be by the fans,” Hemsworth explained. “I never felt like I could fully close that gap, which has been a strange experience.”
According to Hemsworth, his feelings of insecurity and self-doubt can be traced all the way back to his childhood and teenage years growing up in Australia, where he perennially felt like an outsider who didn’t fit in.
“I was always the awkward kid at school who tried way too hard to be funny and cool, but it just never worked,” Hemsworth recalled. “I never had the easy confidence and charm of the popular kids. So when I started playing Thor, who has this incredible physical presence and power, I felt like I was just pretending…wearing a mask, in a way.”
Hemsworth’s surprising self-reflection offers a window into the rarely seen personal struggles and insecurities that can plague even the most successful stars. Despite achieving heartthrob status as Thor and becoming one of the highest paid actors in the world, Hemsworth clearly still sees himself as an insecure misfit who doesn’t belong in the glittering world of Hollywood fame.
“There are still days when I feel like I’m just winging it,” Hemsworth confessed. “Like it’s all been one big cosmic accident, and I’m just waiting to be exposed as a fraud.”
In particular, Hemsworth cited the lavish premieres and press tours for the Thor and Avengers films as exacerbating his feelings of discomfort and alienation from the character he played on screen.
“When we’d go and promote those big Marvel movies, with the huge crowds and the crazy costumes, I always felt like I was just ‘playing Thor’ in those moments too,” he revealed. “Like I was just an actor stepping into the limelight to wave and pose for the cameras and sign autographs…but then I’d go back home and just feel like myself again.”
According to Hemsworth, his frequent collaborators and co-stars within the MCU often had a much easier time embracing the glitz and adulation that came with playing superheroes on the world’s biggest stage.
“Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. both took to it like fish in water,” Hemsworth remarked. “But I always felt like a fraud…like at any moment the nerdy, insecure kid I’ve always been deep down would be revealed.”
Hemsworth also cited his childhood experiences in Melbourne as perhaps planting the seeds for his later insecurity around achieving superstardom as Thor.
“My school years definitely left a mark,” he mused. “I was always obsessed with fitting in and being cool, but it never worked out that way for me back then. I guess I still carry some of that with me…the fear of being revealed as not cool enough or good enough.”
Indeed, Hemsworth has previously spoken about some of his difficult adolescent experiences, including being a frequent target for bullies who mocked his long hair and quiet demeanor. The irony of his subsequent casting as the ultra-confident Norse God many years later is not lost on Hemsworth.
“It’s kind of crazy when I think about it,” he laughed. “I used to get teased for my hair and my personality…then I wind up being cast as this amazing long-haired superhero. I’m still amazed by how it all worked out.”
Despite his lingering insecurities though, Hemsworth said he has gradually grown more comfortable in the role of Thor over the course of his decade-long tenure in the MCU. But that evolution did not happen overnight.
“The first Thor film back in 2011 was incredibly intimidating,” he recalled. “I had only been in the business a few years at that point, and suddenly here I was over in Marvel world playing this iconic character. I felt totally overwhelmed.”
Indeed, Hemsworth was initially hesitant to even pursue the high-profile role, as he questioned whether he had the necessary acting chops to do the part justice.
“When my agent first called and said Marvel was interested in me for Thor, my initial gut reaction was ‘no way!'” Hemsworth said with a laugh. “I thought there was no way I could pull it off at the time. I almost turned it down straight away.”
Of course, Hemsworth eventually decided to take the plunge into the MCU as Thor, kickstarting one of the most successful acting careers in recent memory. But according to Hemsworth, even after winning the role, the feelings of self-doubt lingered.
“That first movie was full of pinch-yourself moments,” he recalled. “But at the same time, I was constantly second guessing myself and wondering if I was actually up to the task.”
Apparently, Hemsworth’s fears extended beyond his own performance to how he physically stacked up next to his co-stars.
“I remember Chris Evans turned up on set for Avengers looking huge from all his Captain America training. I immediately felt scrawny and insecure standing next to him,” Hemsworth laughed. “I was like ‘Oh god, I need to start hitting the gym…people are gonna think I look terrible next to the other guys!'”
Remarkably though, despite his persistent self-doubt, Hemsworth managed to deliver a star-making turn as the hammer-wielding hero, winning over both fans and critics alike. But his feelings of discomfort didn’t vanish overnight.
“I slowly started to relax into the role over time, but it took a few films before I ever really felt comfortable and started enjoying the experience,” he said. “There were definitely moments along the way where I thought ‘Are people going to figure out I’m a fraud soon?'”
Eventually though, Hemsworth says his perspective began to shift as he got more accustomed to life in the MCU and saw how much the character resonated with fans.
“When Ragnarok came around in 2017, I finally felt like I could just have fun with it and not take myself so seriously,” he said. “The great reaction from fans to that film really helped boost my confidence too. It made me think, ‘Hey maybe I can do this Thor thing after all!'”
Indeed, Thor: Ragnarok marked a turning point in Hemsworth’s tenure as the character, as the actor displayed sharp comedic chops and charisma in the intergalactic blockbuster. His looser, funnier take on Thor was a hit with audiences and critics, and the film became a massive box office smash.
The affirmation from Ragnarok proved to be just what Hemsworth needed to finally embrace his superhero alter-ego after years of self-doubt.
“That was the tipping point for me where I finally felt at ease as Thor,” Hemsworth said. “I remember thinking ‘You know what, I’ve got this…I can just enjoy this ride now.’ It took a while to get there in my head, but the support of the fans really lifted me up.”
Remarkably though, even as late as his 2019 return in Avengers: Endgame, Hemsworth said he was still battling some nerves around portraying the iconic hero.
“You’d think after playing him for over seven films I’d be fully confident in the role, but I still had those moments on Endgame where I’d second-guess myself,” Hemsworth revealed.
“Especially on a huge film like that with so many moving parts, I occasionally had flashes of ‘Oh god, hopefully I don’t mess this up!'” he laughed. “But then you just take a deep breath, trust your instincts and go for it. It all worked out OK in the end!”
Indeed, Hemsworth’s performance as a beer-bellied, bathrobe-wearing Thor in Avengers: Endgame provided one of the most talked about and acclaimed moments across the entire Infinity Saga. His willingness to take the character in a humorous new direction paid huge dividends, even if Hemsworth himself remained plagued by some self-doubt.
“That version of Thor was unlike anything I’d done before,” Hemsworth remarked. “I actually thought people might hate it! But luckily the comedic route worked…I just tried to shake off the nerves and go for it.”
Now, as Hemsworth prepares to reprise his career-defining role once again in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, the actor says he finally feels at peace and excited to wield the hammer as the God of Thunder after his decade-long journey.
“It’s crazy to think I’ve been playing this character for over 10 years now,” Hemsworth reflected. “It’s become such a huge part of my life…I can’t quite believe it sometimes. But I’m excited to put the costume back on again and see what other surprises we can bring to the fans this time around!”
Hemsworth’s candid comments provide a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain at the human struggles and self-doubt that have shadowed the acclaimed star’s time in the MCU. But his perseverance through those insecurities has clearly paid off, as he has now firmly established himself as the one and only Thor in the hearts and minds of legions of fans worldwide.
While Hemsworth may still see himself as an insecure misfit, the rest of the world now sees him as the true God of Thunder…and one of the most beloved and iconic superhero stars in cinema history. His vulnerable story of trials and triumph offers inspiration and hope to fans everywhere who have their own struggles with self-confidence and believing in themselves.
Because as Hemsworth has shown, even if you don’t feel worthy at first, you just have to focus on the journey…and someday, you too might get to soar through the skies and control the thunder like the mighty Thor himself!
