"I had been vulnerable" — Chris Hemsworth opens up about getting upset over headlines about his predisposition to Alzheimer's

In an interview with Vanity Fair, published on April 30, 2024, Chris Hemsworth shared his thoughts over headlines connecting the news of his genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s with false rumors claiming he was retiring from acting:

"It really kind of pissed me off because it felt like I had been vulnerable with something personal and shared this. No matter how much I said 'This is not a death sentence,' the story became that I have dementia and I'm reconsidering life and retiring and so on."

The 40-year-old revealed back in November 2022 that he was at risk of developing Alzheimer's in the future, not that he was diagnosed with it.

Alzheimer's disease is progressive and may begin with mild memory loss and then possibly lead to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment.

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Chris Hemsworth reveals why he was angry with media's reaction after sharing his risk of Alzheimer’s disease

In November 2022, the actor told the public about undergoing genetic testing during a sit-down with Vanity Fair. He said he was working on his National Geographic docuseries, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, when he learned that he has a greater chance of developing Alzheimer's disease.

The Thor star discovered in the series that he has two copies of the gene APOE4, which is linked to an increased disease risk. Due to the genes, he is eight to 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's in the future.

Hemsworth shared his disappointment over headlines twisting the story of his risk of the most common type of dementia disease to rumors of retirement. However, he also quipped:

"I did read a really funny comment at the bottom of one article: 'I hope Chris forgets he’s retiring and comes back.'"

Alzheimer's is a disease that has been experienced by his family over the years, with his grandfather dying last year after a long battle. The actor also shared that his father, Craig Hemsworth, is showing early signs of the illness. Chris Hemsworth reflected on the information, saying,

"I know my dad is going through a transition of acceptance around 'I'm not this big, strong man with all the answers who everybody looks to for guidance now.' He's much more the observer now, rather than leading the pack. It's a reminder to me because those are exactly the qualities I need: stillness, observation, absorption, a respect for the present moment."

After finding out about the risk, Chris Hemsworth told Men's Health in 2023 that he was focusing more on “mindfulness work” and “making time for stillness.” Media outlets also shared that he took a brief hiatus from acting, which led to headlines of him retiring from Hollywood altogether.

The Extraction actor, however, denied all the rumors in June 2023, explaining that he went on hiatus because he was "exhausted, and I wanted to be home with my family." He told Entertainment Weekly at the time:

"It was interesting, because those two headlines got coupled together, that I was taking time off because of the genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s. That experience and that show [Limitless] made me go, 'Oh wow, none of us are invincible.' It kind of slams you into the moment."

Chris Hemsworth is married to Elsa Pataky, and the pair live with their three children India, Sasha, and Tristan in Byron Bay in New South Wales, Australia.