The Chris Hemsworth Story You Didn’t Know

Have you ever thought that a boy from a middle-class family, whose childhood was spent on the surfing beaches of Australia, would one day become the world's most popular superhero? We are talking about Chris Hemsworth. There was a time when this boy was working as a construction worker and salesman, and today he is shaking the world in the role of Thor. What exactly is Chris Hemsworth's story? How did this lean, thin boy from Australia become Thor? Today, we will learn about Chris Hemsworth's story. So, ladies and gentlemen, let's begin. Christopher Hemsworth was born on the 11th of August, 1983, in Melbourne, Australia. His father, Craig Hemsworth, was a social services counselor, and his mother, Leonie, was an English teacher. So, Chris's childhood was not like that of a celebrity but was spent in a middle-class family where financial struggles were also a part of life. Chris is the second among three brothers. His elder brother's name is Luke, and his younger brother's name is Liam, and both of them are also actors. Chris's childhood was completely different from other kids. Due to his parents' profession, they had to relocate frequently, and Chris spent a significant part of his childhood on Phillip Island in Southern Australia. On the beautiful beaches of Phillip Island, Chris met his first love, and that was surfing. Chris once said in an interview that surfing is like meditation for him. After riding the ocean waves, he finds himself in a different world—a world that asks no questions of him. Chris was very passionate about acting since his school days, and after finishing school, instead of joining a college, he decided to build a career in acting. The most beautiful part was that his parents appreciated this decision of his. When Chris started building his career in acting, it wasn’t easy. After multiple rejections, in 2002, Chris got the role of King Arthur for just two episodes in the fantasy television series Guinevere Jones. And the same year, Chris did small roles in TV series like Neighbours, Marshall Law, and The Saddle Club. Despite being in his struggling days, Chris tried to support his family financially as much as he could. He was waiting for a role that could give him stability. And in 2004, Chris appeared in a TV show called Home and Away in the role of Kim Hyde. Chris worked in a total of 171 episodes of this TV show, and finally, the TV audience started noticing him. Along with the shooting of Home and Away, in 2006, Chris appeared as a contestant in the fifth season of the reality show Dancing with the Stars Australia. But Chris was eliminated from the show in the sixth week. After three years of experience with Home and Away, Chris felt that he was ready for Australian movies. But in Australian movies, Chris only got disappointment. Chris says that his experience in the TV industry was never considered. Now, Chris had only one option: to return to the Australian TV industry. There comes a moment in everyone's life where 95% of people give up and turn back. But it is in this very moment that a champion never gives up, and Chris decided to try his luck in Hollywood. Now, if he couldn’t make it big in the mediocre, what would he do in Hollywood? But guys, this is what is called a leap of faith. After shifting to Los Angeles in 2009, Chris got the role of Kirk in the super-hit franchise Star Trek. Interestingly, this role was only 5 minutes long. But for a capable person, even 5 minutes are enough to showcase their talent. Star Trek was a hit. The same year, Chris played the role of a criminal backpacker, Kale Garrity, in the thriller movie A Perfect Getaway. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, but Chris shone in his role. But in 2011, something happened after which Chris never looked back. Actually, in 2009, Chris auditioned for the role of Thor. Maybe you don’t know, but our Loki brother, Tom Hiddleston, also auditioned for the role of Thor. Marvel Studios' president, Kevin Feige, and the movie's director, Kenneth Branagh, liked Chris's performance the most. But Marvel executives had a problem with Chris, and that problem was the 2006 show Dancing with the Stars Australia. This show showcased Chris's fun-loving and light-hearted side, which was completely different from Thor's powerful and serious character. Some Marvel executives began to doubt whether the audience would take Chris seriously in the role of a god after seeing him dance. Chris Hemsworth had almost lost his iconic role as Thor. But director Kenneth Branagh and casting director Sarah Finn insisted that he be reconsidered. When Chris gave his final audition, he cleared all doubts with his performance. And finally, he was signed for the movie Thor. For Thor, Chris received $200,000.

But before Thor began, Chris needed to look like Thor, and for this, he gained 20 pounds of muscle. This transformation was quite challenging for him, but he achieved it with discipline.

The most interesting thing is that his experience with Dancing with the Stars came in very handy during fight choreography because rhythm and movement are very important in it.

And then came the date — May 6, 2011 — when Thor was released. The movie created a storm, and Chris Hemsworth became a superstar overnight. Chris played the role of Thor with such perfection that today, people relate him to this character. Just think, guys — 6 feet 4 inches tall, golden hair, blue eyes, and a perfect jawline with superior acting qualities — these are the qualities you’d love to see in a god.

Thor collected approximately $449 million worldwide at the box office and became the 15th highest-grossing film of 2011.

But Thor was just the beginning of the Avengers franchise.

The next year, in 2012, Chris picked up the hammer again and appeared in The Avengers.

And The Avengers became a cult hit. It did a worldwide business of $1.5 billion.

And you’ll be surprised to know that Chris received a fee of $15 million for The Avengers.

Can you imagine?

Within one year, his fee went from $150,000 to $15 million.

But Chris was never stuck only in superhero roles. He proved his acting in different genres. In fact, in 2012, apart from The Avengers, Chris also appeared in movies like Cabin in the Woods, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Red Dawn. Chris took his movie selections very seriously, and the biggest proof of this is the 2013 movie Rush, in which Chris played the role of real-life Formula One world champion James Hunt. If you want to see Chris beyond the image of Thor, then do watch Rush. After Rush, the same year, Chris appeared in Thor: The Dark World. From a business point of view, this movie was a hit, but the film critics didn’t find it very special. But as they say, when the audience embraces an actor in their hearts, what the critics say doesn’t matter to anyone. And then, in 2015, came the survival movie In the Heart of the Sea. This movie was inspired by a real story in which a giant whale destroys a ship, and the crew has to survive in the middle of the ocean without food and water. For this survival role, Chris had to lose 33 pounds in a very short duration, and he was surviving on just 500 calories a day. The movie proved to be a flop at the box office, but critics loved Chris's performance. Now, it’s not that the movie was bad, but the audience doesn’t give as much importance to a survival movie as they do to a superhero movie. If you ask me, then In the Heart of the Sea is an underrated masterpiece, and if you are a die-hard Chris Hemsworth fan, you must watch this movie. Despite this movie being a flop, it didn’t impact Chris's career. And in the coming times, Chris worked in hit movies like Avengers: Age of Ultron, Vacation, Ghostbusters, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. But in 2019, Chris broke box office records with Extraction. The audience liked it so much that the makers had to release Extraction 2 in 2022. Now, although Chris had done every kind of lead role, he was not satisfied. And in 2024, Chris appeared as a villain in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. For the fans, this was a very shocking moment, but the movie did well, and after a long time, the audience loved a villain so much in a movie instead of the lead actor. Today, Chris's total net worth is $130 million. As an actor, he has never let us down, and even today, Chris is working hard for his new projects. Chris's life is a living example that success only comes to those who listen to their hearts. What do you have to say about Chris Hemsworth's story? Do let us know in the comment section. And if you liked our work, then guys, hit that subscribe button so we can bring you more motivational stories. We’ll meet you in the next video. Till then, take care, stay healthy, stay happy.