by Chris Hemsworth is now known around the world as the mighty Avenger Thor, but there was a time when he nearly turned down the career-defining role. In the early stages of his acting career, Hemsworth wavered back and forth on whether to accept the role or not. At the time, he was worried about getting typecast as a muscular superhero. However, his jaw-dropping reason for finally accepting the role shows how the opportunity was simply too good to pass up.
Hemsworth’s Early Acting Years
Long before Chris Hemsworth wielded the power of lightning as Thor, he was just an up-and-coming actor hustling for roles in Australia. Hemsworth was born in Melbourne and grew up in the Outback in Bulman, Northern Territory. Acting wasn’t his first career choice – as a teen he almost pursued professional surfing. But after high school, Hemsworth decided to seriously pursue acting.
In the early 2000s, Hemsworth steadily booked TV roles in Australia. His first big break was being cast on the soap opera Home and Away in 2004, where he played Kim Hyde for three years. This role put Hemsworth on the map in Australia and helped him land roles in other Australian shows like The Saddle Club. During this time, Hemsworth moved to Sydney to further his career.
The young actor’s profile grew larger when he started scoring roles in major U.S. projects filming in Australia. In 2009, he acted alongside Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables. The same year, he appeared in the horror film A Perfect Getaway with Milla Jovovich and Timothy Olyphant. Hemsworth’s talent and good looks were starting to turn heads in Hollywood.
The Thor Opportunity Arises
In 2009, Hemsworth’s U.S. agent informed him of a possible opportunity that would change the actor’s career. Marvel Studios was beginning to develop their Thor film and thought Hemsworth would be a good fit for the muscular Norse god. However, they wanted him to audition via video from Australia first.
This process involved multiple self-taped auditions of Hemsworth performing various Thor scenes. For his first tape, Hemsworth thought he had botched it because he was quite nervous. But Marvel saw potential in the young Aussie. After recalling him several times to tape additional scenes, Marvel asked Hemsworth to fly to Los Angeles for an official screen test.
Alongside four other actors, Hemsworth had a full audition in the Thor costume and wig. The process involved physique inspection, acting scenes with Natalie Portman, and even wielding props like Thor’s hammer. Clearly, Hemsworth wowed the Marvel executives because shortly after he got a call offering him the career-launching role.
Hemsworth’s Hesitation About the Role
Surprisingly, playing the Norse god of thunder in a big budget film wasn’t an automatic yes for Hemsworth. Despite being excited about the opportunity, Hemsworth struggled over whether to accept the role of Thor.
At the time, Hemsworth’s star was rising after several American film roles, but taking on a superhero character was a whole different beast. Prior to the Marvel Cinematic Universe explosion, superhero roles were seen as a potential dead end for actors. Hemsworth worried that playing Thor could typecast him in action roles and muscle-bound characters going forward.
In an interview with Wired, Hemsworth explained his hesitation about accepting the role:
“At the time, I remember thinking, ‘If this is successful, does this mean I can only play superheroes from here on out?’ That seemed like a one-way ticket to something I may not have necessarily wanted.”
The established path for actors was to build up to superhero roles, not start there. Hemsworth wondered if he had enough credibility as a serious actor to take this on so early in his career. He looked at predecessors like Christopher Reeve, Tobey Maguire, and Christian Bale, who all had significant roles under their belt before taking on capes and spandex.
Hemsworth didn’t want to be viewed only as a good-looking action star. He aspired to take on complex, gritty roles that showed off his acting chops. The Australian was worried he would constantly have to fight the stereotype of Thor overriding his other work.
What Convinced Hemsworth to Take the Role
So why did Hemsworth finally decide to wield the hammer after being tentative at first? In multiple interviews over the years, he has revealed several key reasons that helped change his mind.
Firstly, Hemsworth was swayed by director Kenneth Branagh’s take on the character. Branagh is an acclaimed Shakespearian actor and director, and Hemsworth believed he could bring gravitas and complexity to the role of Thor. The two had a long conversation discussing how to best portray the god of thunder. Hemsworth began to see how playing this character was about much more than just muscles.
Secondly, Hemsworth’s brother Luke actually convinced him not to pass up the enormous opportunity. As Hemsworth was vacillating on a decision, his elder brother Luke told him he would be foolish not to take the role. Luke astutely said Chris might never get another offer this big and urged him to step outside his comfort zone.
Lastly, Hemsworth reasoned that signing a multi-picture deal with Marvel would provide job security as he continued to build his career. Even if the Thor role typecast him, at least he would have financial stability and visibility for several years. He decided it was too good of an opportunity for a relatively unknown actor to pass up.
Taking the Leap of Faith
Ultimately, Chris Hemsworth took the leap of faith and accepted the monumental role of Thor in 2009. Of course, we all know now that the decision paid off astronomically. The first Thor film arrived in 2011 and became an international hit with $449 million at the box office. Hemsworth’s portrayal of the cocky yet likable Asgardian was a big reason for its success.
Thor cemented Hemsworth as a bonafide star and opened up huge opportunities for him. He has now played Thor eight times in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most recently in 2021’s Thor: Love and Thunder. The role made Hemsworth a globally recognized actor and a backbone of the record-setting Avengers films.
Outside of his superhero fame, Thor did not constrain Hemsworth’s career as he initially feared. He has gone on to star in a variety of other films that show off his talent, such as Rush, 12 Strong, Bad Times at the El Royale, and Extraction. Hemsworth proved he could avoid being typecast and still take on gritty, nuanced roles.
Of course, with great fame comes difficulties in his personal life. Hemsworth has been open about the pressures of success leading him to substance abuse issues. However, he has overcome those challenges by prioritizing his mental health and family in recent years.
Overall, deciding to wield Thor’s hammer, despite initial hesitation, gave Hemsworth the worldwide fame he has today. The opportunity allowed him to highlight not just his strength, but his charm, humor, and depth as an actor. Looking back now, it may have been the easiest Hollywood decision Hemsworth ever made. But at the time, taking on this career-defining role was a true leap of faith.
