Christopher Hemsworth born 11 August 1983 is an Australian actor. He first rose to prominence in Australia playing Kim Hyde in the Australian television series Home and Away (2004–07) before beginning a film career in Hollywood. Hemsworth is best known for playing Thor in eight Marvel Cinematic Universe films, beginning with Thor (2011) and appearing most recently in Avengers: Endgame (2019), which established him as one of the leading and highest-paid actors in the world.
Hemsworth’s other film roles include the action films Star Trek (2009), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), Red Dawn (2012), Blackhat (2015), Men in Black: International (2019), and Extraction (2020); the thriller A Perfect Getaway (2009); and the comedy Ghostbusters (2016). His most critically acclaimed films include the comedy horror The Cabin in the Woods (2012) and the biographical sports film Rush (2013), in which he portrayed James Hunt.
Early life
Christopher Hemsworth was born on 11 August 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria, to Leonie (née van Os), an English teacher, and Craig Hemsworth, a social-services counsellor. He is the middle of three sons; his brothers Luke (older) and Liam (younger) are also actors. His maternal grandfather is a Dutch immigrant and his maternal grandmother is of Irish descent; on his paternal line he is of English, Scottish, and German ancestry. He was brought up both in Melbourne and in the Outback in Bulman, Northern Territory. He has said, “My earliest memories were on the cattle stations up in the Outback, and then we moved back to Melbourne and then back out there and then back again. Certainly most of my childhood was in Melbourne but probably my most vivid memories were up there with crocodiles and buffalo. Very different walks of life.” He attended high school at Heathmont College before his family again returned to the Northern Territory, and then moved a few years later to Phillip Island.
Career
2002–2010: Early work and Home and Away
Hemsworth began his career by appearing in several television series. In 2002, Hemsworth starred in two episodes of fantasy television series Guinevere Jones as King Arthur, as well as making an appearance in soap opera series Neighbours and one episode of Marshall Law. The following year, he appeared in an episode of The Saddle Club. In 2004, Hemsworth auditioned for the role of Robbie Hunter in Australian soap opera Home and Away. He did not receive the part, but was subsequently recalled for the part of Kim Hyde. He moved to Sydney to join the cast, appearing in 171 episodes of the series. He left the cast of Home and Away on 3 July 2007. Hemsworth later revealed that although he became more visible after Home and Away, his work on a soap opera did not earn him respect from the film industry.
Hemsworth was a contestant on the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars Australia, partnered with professional dancer Abbey Ross. The season premiered on 26 September 2006, and after six weeks, Hemsworth was eliminated on 7 November. Hemsworth’s appearance in the franchise would almost cost him the role of Thor, as producers of the Marvel film franchise feared fans would be put off.
In 2009, Hemsworth played James T. Kirk’s father, George Kirk, in the opening scenes of J. J. Abrams’ film Star Trek. The role was initially offered to Matt Damon, who turned it down; Abrams appreciated Hemsworth taking on the role. Josh Tyler of Cinema Blend was impressed with Hemsworth, describing the actor’s scene as the “best five minutes I’ve spent in a movie theater this year.” The film was a box office success, grossing $385.7 million. That same year, Hemsworth played the character Kale Garrity in the thriller A Perfect Getaway. It was a modest success, grossing $22 million against a $14 million budget, and received mixed reviews, but Hemsworth was praised for his “appropriately intimidating” performance of a “thuggish backpacker.” Paul Young of Screen Rant also praised Hemsworth’s performance as “solid.”
Hemsworth went on to play Sam in 2010’s Ca$h alongside English actor Sean Bean, which was the first film he shot when he arrived in the United States. The film’s director, Stephen Milburn Anderson, said Hemsworth had only been in the United States for six weeks when he had auditioned for the role, recalling, “Here’s a guy who is young, has the right look, is a very good actor and, let’s face it, he’s beautiful. So I say, we need to get this guy in. I was very impressed”. In November 2010, The Hollywood Reporter named Hemsworth one of the young male actors who are “pushing – or being pushed” onto the Hollywood “A-List”.
2011–2015: Breakthrough
