Biography

Chris Hemsworth

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Overview

Born
August 11, 1983 · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Birth name
Christopher Hemsworth
Nicknames
- Kip
- Chris
Height
6′ 3″ (1.91 m)

Mini bio

Christopher "Chris" Hemsworth was born on August 11, 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Leonie Hemsworth (née van Os), an English teacher & Craig Hemsworth, a social-services counselor. His brothers are actors, Liam Hemsworth & Luke Hemsworth; he is of Dutch (from his immigrant maternal grandfather), Irish, English, Scottish, and German ancestry. His uncle, by marriage, was Rod Ansell, the bushman who inspired the comedy film Crocodile Dundee (1986).

Chris saw quite a bit of the country in his youth, after his family moved to the Northern Territory before finally settling on Phillip Island, to the south of Melbourne. In 2004, he unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Robbie Hunter in the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1988) but was recalled for the role of Kim Hyde which he played until 2007. In 2006, he entered the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars (2004) and his popularity in the soap enabled him to hang on until show 7 (Episode #5.7 (2006)) when he became the fifth contestant to be eliminated.

His first Hollywood appearance was in the science fiction blockbuster Star Trek (2009), but it was his titular role in the superhero blockbuster Thor (2011) which propelled him to prominence worldwide. He reprised the character in the superhero blockbusters The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).

Chris's American representative, management company ROAR, also manages actress Elsa Pataky, and it was through them that the two met, marrying in 2010. The couple have a daughter and twin sons. He was appointed Member of the Order of Australia at the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the performing arts and to charitable organisations.
- IMDb mini biography by: IMDb Editors

Family

Spouse
Children
Parents
Relatives

Trademarks

Deep resonant voice
Muscular physique

Trivia

Is incredibly close with his Thor (2011) on-screen brother Tom Hiddleston, Chris has said Tom is an honorary Hemsworth and has been adopted into the family.
Has gained 20 pounds of muscle for the title role in Thor (2011).
Very good friends with Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Matt Damon, Jeremy Renner, Idris Elba, Chris Evans, Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller, Scarlett Johansson, Tessa Thompson, and Taika Waititi and Rita Ora.
His uncle was bushman Rod Ansell, who inspired the film Crocodile Dundee (1986). Rod was married to Chris' aunt (Chris' mother's sister), Joanne van Os, who is an author.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6819 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on May 23, 2024. Director George Miller and his good friend Robert Downey Jr. were guest speakers at the ceremony.

Quotes

I love the adventure that comes with this work, the travel and all that. But also the craft, the storytelling. From a kid, I remember enjoying certain books and getting swept away in movies.
[on life in the Australian Outback] It's beautiful up there in the Northern Territory. My earliest memories are of buffalo and crocodiles. As a kid, you don't own a pair of shoes because it's too hot!
[In an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con on July 26, 2014, noting that, in the paper Marvel Universe, the new Thor will be a woman] I don't want to speak too early and jinx it, but I think that could be my Oscar.
Everything shifted for me after Rush (2013). It wasn't as financially successful as other things I'd done, but it gave me more movement, more options, more doors opening, more meetings. All of a sudden, it's "Oh, wow! You're an actor!".
I remember how differently people treated me when things went well. Some directors and producers who never gave a shit - at best, they would have given me a sideways glance - next time I saw them, they're my best friend. That's gross.