Chris Hemsworth wants you to know he doesn't have dementia and isn't retiring
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- Chris Hemsworth has a gene which means increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
- However, he hasn't been diagnosed with the disease and isn't retiring, he said.
- Hemsworth found out his father also has the gene, as did his grandfather.
Chris Hemsworth wasn't expecting such a huge reaction from the public when he revealed he has a gene that puts him at greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
In his 2022 National Geographic documentary series "Limitless," the actor was shown discovering that he has two copies of the gene APOE e4, which makes him eight to 10 times more likely to develop the disease.
"You're constantly thinking you're going to live forever, especially as a young individual," Hemsworth, 40, said in the documentary. "Then to be told that this might be the thing that might take you out was like, woah, it kinda floored me."
However, many people didn't understand that it wasn't an Alzheimer's diagnosis, Hemsworth told Vanity Fair. Combined with some planned time off, it created a (false) impression that he had suddenly vanished for health reasons.
Hemsworth is now trying to clear that up and tell the world that he's fine — while also being open about how he's subtly adapting his lifestyle to account for this real risk.
Being talked about as potentially near the end of his career is also a risk for Hemsworth, a superstar whose career could go on for years and produce many millions more dollars.
"It really kind of pissed me off because it felt like I had been vulnerable with something personal and shared this," Hemsworth said. "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."
Alzheimer's, which Hemsworth is at greater risk of is also not the same thing as dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term to describe serious memory and thinking problems, while Alzheimer's is a specific disease that can progress into dementia.
Hemsworth's father and grandfather also have the gene
Although having the APOE e4 gene doesn't mean Hemsworth will develop Alzheimer's, he has changed his lifestyle somewhat since discovering he has it.
Hemsworth previously told Men's Health that he's started doing more cardio, taking more alone time, being more mindful, and prioritizing sleep.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Hemsworth said that he has been thinking about his future work.
"I think for the first time in my career, I've started thinking, 'Shit, how many years do I have left that I can do this?'" he said.
"I went through a sort of list of films with my production partner yesterday, a bit of a wish list, and then I was like, 'Well, that's six films. That could be the next decade. That could be it. Who knows where I am at that point?'"
After Hemsworth discovered he had the gene, his whole family was tested. They found out his father also carries the gene, as did his grandfather who had Alzheimer's and died in 2023.
Hemsworth's father, Craig, has started seeing the first signs of the disease, Vanity Fair reported.
"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,'" Hemsworth told the publication.
"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."