Chris Hemsworth

Christopher Hemsworth AM (born 11 August 1983) is an Australian actor. Born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, and Bulman, Northern Territory, he rose to prominence playing Kim Hyde in the Australian television series Home and Away (2004–2007) before beginning a film career in Hollywood. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hemsworth starred as Thor in the 2011 film of the same name and reprised the role in several subsequent installments, which established him among the world's highest-paid actors.

His other film roles include the action films Star Trek (2009), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and its sequel The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016), Red Dawn (2012), Blackhat (2015), Men in Black: International (2019), Extraction (2020) and its 2023 sequel, the thriller A Perfect Getaway (2009), and the comedy Ghostbusters (2016). Hemsworth's most critically acclaimed films include the comedy horror The Cabin in the Woods (2012), the biographical sports film Rush (2013) in which he portrayed James Hunt, the action film Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)—which earned him a nomination for the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role—and the animated film Transformers One (2024) in which he voiced Optimus Prime.

Christopher Hemsworth was born on 11 August 1983 in Melbourne, to Leonie (née van Os), an English teacher, and Craig Hemsworth, a social-services counsellor. He is the second of three sons, following Luke (b. 1980) and preceding Liam (b. 1990); both of them are also actors. His maternal grandfather is a Dutch immigrant and his maternal grandmother is of Irish descent;^{[non-primary source needed]} 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 [in Bulman] 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.

Hemsworth started his career by appearing in several television series. In 2002, Hemsworth starred in three 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 remarked that although he became more visible after Home and Away, his work on a soap opera did not earn him respect within 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 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 CinemaBlend 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 US$385.7 million. That same year, Hemsworth played the character Kale Garrity in the thriller A Perfect Getaway. It 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".