Interview Interview

their father’s culture and expose them to the kind of life I enjoyed so much during my childhood and Elsa was very happy and supportive of that. Australia Act of God is an amazing place to live.” Having gone from starring in an Australian soap opera to playing a Norse God in one of Growing up in Australia’s cinema’s biggest ever franchises, it’s safe to say that Chris Hemsworth has come a long way. rugged Northern Territory, Here, the Aussie actor chats to Harold von Kursk about making films and raising a family a place where lizards and crocodiles could qualify as house pets, Chris Hemsworth f there were ever a prototype Currently filming Thor: Ragnarok, There’s an unmistakable sense grew up with few luxuries. He for the ideal Hollywood the third instalment in his of quiet ambition and strength of spent most of his time riding Ileading man, Chris stand-alone Thor series, he purpose to Hemsworth. He never motorcycles and enjoying the Hemsworth would certainly readily acknowledges his debt flaunts his fame or shows any wild outdoors along with his match most of the prerequisites. to the heroic figure who has signs of vanity that are often the brothers Luke (the first of the Tall, blonde, broad-shouldered, established Hemsworth as side effects of celebrity. three brothers to get into acting) ruggedly handsome and a movie star and sex symbol. Married to the Spanish and Liam, a star in his own right talented, the Australian actor “I don’t think that playing actress Elsa Patacky (Fast Five, with appearances in The Hunger has gained a massive following Thor limits me except for the Furious 6), 40, for the past five Games films and the recent for his multiple turns as Thor, actual time commitment to years, he disliked the artificial Independence Day: Resurgence). the Norse God, a key player in those films,” Hemsworth says. LA lifestyle so much that he Living in the wild – his one of the biggest franchises “I love doing those movies convinced his wife over a year father was a social worker in film history. and I think they open up so ago that they should relocate and his mother worked as an Beyond the comic book many possibilities for me to from LA to Australia’s Byron Bay English teacher in an Aboriginal universe, Hemsworth has also do other kinds of work. I’m so that their children – four- community – also stoked shown that he is capable of very lucky to have been chosen year-old daughter India Rose and Hemsworth’s imagination, as taking on serious dramatic roles for such an amazing character twin sons Tristan and Sasha, he often engaged in games of with his charismatic portrayal of and to be part of a very age two – can be raised more in make-believe to pass the time. Formula One pilot James Hunt in successful franchise. the spirit of their father’s down- “My brothers and I grew Rush, and later as the determined “It was because Ron to-earth Aussie upbringing. up on various cattle and buffalo first mate inIn The Heart Of The Howard saw me in Thor that Explains Hemsworth: stations and then we moved back Sea, based on the ill-fated 1820 he decided to call me and “Getting to be back in Australia to Melbourne and then again whaling expedition that inspired meet with me for Rush, which has been very meaningful to down the coast. It was a very Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. was a very important film for me. My wife and I both feel different kind of life that most kids The brawny 6’3” Aussie has even me. Being part of the Marvel that it’s been the right decision would experience in a big city. show his flair for comedy as the universe has been a blessing. especially for the children who It teaches you to be on your own somewhat thick-headed male It’s given me financial security can grow up normally and not a lot, and you learn to develop and hunk in this summer’s female and the opportunity to achieve have to suffer from the kind feed your imagination when you reboot of Ghostbusters. much, much more than I ever of intrusion and attention that don’t have other kids to play with. thought possible.” comes with living in LA. In Growing up in beautiful places Good-natured and easy- Australia, no one makes a big out in the wild gives you a lot of going, the 33-year-old actor deal if you’re a celebrity.” occasions to daydream. I’m pretty ‘GROWING UP IN BEAUTIFUL PLACES OUT IN THE WILD conducts himself with the kind of He adds: “I want our sure that that’s a big reason we GIVES YOU A LOT OF earnest zeal that would put Clark children to discover something all became actors. We were OCCASION TO DAYDREAM. I’M PRETTY SURE THAT Kent to shame. Polite, jovial and of the beauty and vastness of always the stars of our own THAT’S A BIG REASON WE direct, he could just as easily nature while they grow up in adventures out in the bush.” ➤ ALL BECAME ACTORS. WE be a spokesman for a charitable Australia, because it gives you WERE ALWAYS THE STARS OF OUR OWN ADVENTURES’ foundation as he could be a a different perspective on life. Left: Hemsworth’s role as Thor brand ambassador for Australia. I wanted them to get to know helped catapult him to stardom

14 Upward Curve October-December 2016 October-December 2016 Upward Curve 15 Interview

‘THOR WAS NEVER JUST A WOODEN KIND OF ACTION GUY. THERE WAS ALWAYS AN UNDERLYING SENSITIVITY AND NOBILITY TO HIS PERSONALITY AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING A LOT TO THE CHARACTER’

marooned at sea with his fellow sailors in In The Heart Of The Sea. “To prepare for Thor, I’m eating 4,000 calories a day and doing several hours lifting weights every day. Then I had to shoot In The Heart Of The Sea and I had to drop 40 pounds and live on a 500-calorie per day diet. I still have moments even now where After his older brother Luke enrolled many interesting elements to the The toughest aspect of playing I cannot look at a plate of chicken in a drama class, Chris followed story and to the role itself. From the Thor is the extreme weightlifting breast or broccoli. Me and the suit and immediately discovered very beginning I saw a lot of ways and bulking up required to play other actors felt like we were that it “was the only thing” he that I would be able to invest myself the man with the hammer, and a bunch of supermodels getting liked to study in school. Soon the in the role and add more and more then having to lose the added ready for a show and constantly family was living in Sydney and that layers to him as we’ve evolved muscle to play other roles, talking about who was the was when he won a major part in the character.” such as the starving first mate skinniest of the bunch!” ➤ the long-running Australian soap opera, Home and Away. He spent three years on the series until he decided that the only way he was going to have a serious acting career was to move to Los Angeles. His first Hollywood part came in Star Trek (2009) but it wasn’t until he landed the title role in Thor (2011) that his career took off, and Hemsworth has never looked back since. Looking like he’s been chiselled out of stone himself, playing a Norse God was probably a case of divine casting intervention for Hemsworth. “Thor was never just a wooden kind of action guy. There was always an underlying sensitivity and nobility to his personality and I was able to bring a lot to the character. The Thor films have never been just all-out action films – there were so

Above: Chris with brothers Liam (left) and Luke (right) Right: With his wife Elsa, who he married in 2010

October-December 2016 Upward Curve 17 Interview

artifice, and self-importance. He admits to being guided by his parents’ sense of social engagement and the many life lessons and principles that were impressed upon him. “My parents gave me and my brothers confidence in our abilities and a feeling of security. We were encouraged to work hard and be committed to whatever we decided to do with our lives...I want to impart those same values to my children. “My mother, in particular, doesn’t like to hear us groaning or feeling sorry for ourselves or complaining, especially in recent Despite being one of the most me what real love is and what He adds: “My daughter India years if she would hear us (the handsome young actors in true responsibility means.” starts to miss me badly if I’m brothers) moaning about being Hollywood, Hemsworth never “I have always loved my work, away from her for more than stressed (because of the film indulged in serial dating and but being a good father and a few days. One time after I had business). She reminds us of nightclubbing. He had only known a good husband is my absolute left to work on a movie we were some of the jobs we did while Elsa Patacky for three months priority now. The best thing that speaking on the phone a few days we were still living in Australia, before deciding that she was happened to me in my life has later and she asked me, “Dad, which were a lot less stimulating ‘the one’. been meeting my wife, Elsa, and when are you coming home?” than what we do today!” ■ “It wasn’t something that being able to raise our children. I couldn’t hold back my tears....” either of us planned – it was just My dream was really to have the “I’ve always wanted to give something that made sense to kind of life I am enjoying now.” my children the same kind of both of us,” Hemsworth explains. Moving to Australia late in love and attention that my parents “We were on holiday with both 2014 was also a function of gave me. It’s important that our families and it was just Hemsworth’s desire to spare children grow with a sense of a wonderful family atmosphere his family the kind of collateral security and support and I take that we decided that it would be damage that often comes with that responsibility very seriously. good timing and that we should being a celebrity. There are fewer Being a father has also been more get married, too.” paparazzi roaming the territory in fun that I could have imagined and Chris and Elsa both shared Oz and the stoic, straightforward it kind of reconnects you with your a desire to start a family, although attitude of the people ensure own child-like sensibility. I love raising children has turned out to that he and his family can go playing with my kids and being be a much greater challenge than about their daily lives in relative part of their world.” Hemsworth expected. obscurity. Chris is such It’s a pleasure to report “[Laughs] It’s much more a dedicated family man that he that in an era where one is difficult than you think it’s going to be. intends to have Elsa and the kids almost reflexively cynical about You have to change your thinking accompany him whenever a long celebrities, the quality that best and be completely there for them. film shoot takes him away from defines Chris Hemsworth is But having children has also taught Australia’s Gold Coast. his deep sense of purpose and Says Hemsworth: “We have integrity. He genuinely believes a rule where I’m never away from in being a good man and a good ‘I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED home or from them for more than father and embraces the Aussie MY WORK, BUT BEING two weeks. I’ll take my family with ethos that eschews glamour, A GOOD FATHER AND A GOOD HUSBAND IS MY ABSOLUTE me if it’s a long shoot. Otherwise PRIORITY NOW. MY DREAM if it’s less than two weeks, it’s too Top: Hemsworth his currently WAS ALWAYS REALLY TO difficult for the kids to get used to filming the next instalment HAVE THE KIND OF LIFE I AM ENJOYING NOW’ a new environment and then have of Thor on the Gold Coast to go back.” in his native Australia

18 Upward Curve October-December 2016