Thor: Love and Thunder star Chris Hemsworth recently indicated that he may only reprise his role as the God of Thunder if it means he can give the character his swansong. We don't know where the Odinson will show up again (Avengers: The Kang Dynasty seemed like the safest bet), but if and when he does return, it might well be the last we see of him for quite some time.
While chatting to Vanity Fair about his new National Geographic docuseries, Limitless, Hemsworth revealed that he received an ominous health warning after undergoing a series of genetic tests to see what, if anything, the future might hold in store.
Unfortunately, what the Aussie actor discovered turned out to be what he describes as “my biggest fear.”
Hemsworth was told that his genetic makeup includes two copies of the gene APOE4, one from his mother, the other from his father, which studies have linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. While he does plan on taking a "good chunk of time" away from acting, Hemsworth is facing down his diagnosis with a sense of optimism.
"Like everything in the show I went, 'Okay, great. I now have to work on this more.' If you look at Alzheimer's prevention, the benefit of preventative steps is that it affects the rest of your life. When you have preposition to cardiovascular heart disease, cancer, anything—it's all about sleep management, stress management, nutrition, movement, fitness. It's all kind of the same tools that need to be applied in a consistent way."
"Now, 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 added. "I shot with George Miller on the new prequel to Fury Road, part of the Mad Max saga, and I said to my agent said, “That's where I want to spend my work hours; with someone who is kind and collaborative and interesting.”
As Hemsworth points out, he hasn't been "handed his resignation," and is far from defeated. Even so, we wish him the best of luck and good health as he faces an uncertain future.