Why ‘Vulnerable’ Chris Hemsworth Hesitated to Share his Alzheimer’s Risk

Chris Hemsworth was hesitant to reveal his genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease for the sake of his acting career.

via: Variety

Chris Hemsworth told The Guardian in a new interview on his “Crime 101” press tour that he had some reservations about going public with the news that he has a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease, which makes him eight to 10 times more likely to develop the disease. The actor was concerned how such news would impact public perception of his movie career.

“I wondered if I was letting people too far in,” Hemsworth said. “Are they no longer going to believe in the action star or the Marvel character? And do I want people to know my fears and insecurities to this level?”

Hemsworth made the reveal in 2022 on an episode of his Disney+ series “Limitless,” which featured the Thor actor meeting with a doctor who informed him that his genetic makeup includes two copies of the gene APOE4, which studies have linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Hemsworth’s grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The actor revealed last November that his father is currently battling the disease.

Speaking to The Guardian, Hemsowrth said that his father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis is part of what is prompting a career slowdown at the moment.

“My appetite for racing forward has really been reined in,” he said. “I’ve become more aware of the fragility of things. You start thinking, ‘My dad won’t be here for ever.’ And my kids are now 11 and 13. Those nights where they’d fight over sleeping in our bed – suddenly they’re not happening any more.”

His father’s diagnosis has also been impacting his acting choices. He’s taking roles that feel more personal, whereas in the past Hemsworth was making more financial decisions. “I’d think, ‘I came from nothing. Who am I to turn down that kind of money?’” he said. “Justifying things that weren’t the purest creative decision – but I’ll be able to pay for my parents’ house, or I’ll be able to help out my cousins.”

Hemsworth’s 2025 documentary “A Road Trip to Remember” centered on his father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The actor said the project “was so deeply personal. It was a love letter to my father. It empowered him for a period, and stimulated memories that were being taken away from him.”

When Hemsworth revealed his genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s in 2022, he noted that “it’s not like I’ve been handed my resignation” and “it’s not a pre-deterministic gene, but it is a strong indication. Ten years ago, I think it was more thought of as determinant.”

Speaking to Vanity Fair in 2024, Hemsworth called out the press for spinning his reveal into headlines that claimed it was certain he would be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the future.

“It really kind of pissed me off because it felt like I had been vulnerable with something personal and shared this,” he said at the time. “No matter how much I said ‘This is not a death sentence,’ the story became that I have dementia and I’m reconsidering life and retiring and so on.”

Hemsworth’s “Crime 101” opens in theaters Feb. 13 from Amazon MGM. He will be back on the big screen as Thor in “Avengers: Doomsday,” in theaters Dec. 18.