Actor Chris Hemsworth, known for his role as Thor in the MCU, is planning on taking a longer break from the acting world after learning that he has a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease.
The 39-year-old “Avengers” star discovered in a new episode of his Disney+ docuseries “Limitless” that his DNA contains two copies of a gene known as APOE4. This gene makes Chris Hemsworth’s chance of developing Alzheimer’s eight to 10 times higher than the average person.
Hemsworth told Vanity Fair that the revelation made him want to take more time off from acting to be with his family.
“It really triggered something in me to want to take time off,” he explained. “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.”
During the filming of an episode of “Limitless” about death, Hemsworth stated that he realized he’s “not ready to go yet.”
Hemsworth and his wife, Elsa Pataky, 46, have three children: 10-year-old India and 8-year-old twins Sasha and Tristan.
“Then you start talking about kids and family and going, ‘Oh my God, they’re getting older, they’re growing up and I keep slapping another movie on top of another movie,'” he said. “Before you know it, they’re 18 and they’ve moved out of the house, and I missed the window.”
Hemsworth also stated that he’s become more comfortable turning down projects and is taking “a more curated approach” to selecting.
“If something’s going to pull me away from my family and my kids, it’s got to be a positive, constructive, collaborative experience,” he said.
However, he did clarify that he’s not “talking about retiring by any means.”
Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die. 80% of people with Alzheimer’s are above the age of 75. It has no cure, but medications can slow the progression of symptoms.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
