Chris Hemsworth To Slow Down On Acting

Chris Hemsworth is slowing down on taking acting roles after learning that he’s at very high risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

Per Page Six, sources say that his schedule is starting to clear in the not-too-distant future. The Aussie actor has four upcoming projects. This includes an upcoming Avengers sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, an untitled Hulk Hogan biopic helmed by Joker director Todd Phillips, action/thriller Extraction 2, and the Mad Max prequel, Furiosa. But after those projects, “he doesn’t plan to take on many roles because of [learning about his high risk for] Alzheimer’s,” a source says.

Though Hemsworth told Vanity Fair back in November that he’s “not talking about retiring by any means,” the insider says it looks like he’s heading in that direction. Hemsworth, 39, discovered he’s at high risk for the disease while filming his Disney+ docuseries, Limitless. In an episode, the actor found out he carries a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease.

His DNA contains two copies of the APOE4 gene, making his chance of developing the progressive neurologic disorder eight to 10 times higher than the average person’s. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia — a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that affect a person’s ability to function independently.

Hemsworth told the publication at the time that the information made him want to take more time off from the entertainment industry to be more present with his family. Hemsworth and his wife, Elsa Pataky, 46, share three children: 10-year-old India and 9-year-old twins Sasha and Tristan.

“It really triggered something in me to want to take some time off,” he said, adding that he’s still in the midst of fulfilling work obligations he’s contracted to do. “Now when I finish this tour this week, I’m going home and I’m going to have a good chunk of time off and just simplify. Be with the kids, be with my wife.”