Chris Hemsworth has been given some concerning health news while filming his new Disney+ series Limitless.
In the new series Hemsworth, 39, participated in extreme physical and mental challenges designed to push him to the edge, and discover the full potential of the human body.
But it was in the show’s fifth episode, titled Memory, that Hemsworth says his “biggest fear” was confirmed.
After undergoing genetic testing, the Australian star was told he is eight to 10 times more likely than the average person to develop Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia.
Scientists are yet to find a cure for the debilitating disease. However, they do know that the APOE4 gene is closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Twenty-five per cent of the general population hold one copy of the gene.
But Hemsworth was told that he had received one copy from his mother, and a second from his father.
This puts him among the rare 3 per cent of people who carry two copies of the gene – making him significantly more likely to battle the disease.
“The idea that I won’t be able to remember the life I experienced, or my wife, my kids, is probably my biggest fear,” Hemsworth said in the episode.
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The Thor actor also revealed that his grandfather is battling the disease.
“He either doesn’t remember who we are, you know, his grandkids, but also even his own children, for years. It’s heartbreaking.”
Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky share daughter India, 10, and twins Sasha and Tristan, 8.
The actor told Vanity Fair in a follow-up interview that he hadn’t yet shared the news with his children – and didn’t plan to for some time.
“I don’t think they could have grasped the concept or have the understanding, so no.
“But again, like you said, it’s not like I’ve been handed my resignation and this is what it is … It’s not quite that situation, thankfully.
“One day I’m sure I’ll bring it up. They probably want to test themselves and [find out,] ‘Are you in the category that’s going to be sensitive to this or not?’ “
Hemsworth said he was given the option of removing the health news from the show entirely, but eventually decided against it.
“I thought, ‘No, look, if this is a motivator for people to take better care of themselves and also understand that there are steps you can take —then fantastic,’” he said.
“My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and overdramatise it, and make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment.”
In one Limitless challenge, Hemsworth donned a heavy ageing suit and spent three days living in a retirement home (seen here with wife Elsa Pataky). Photo: Vanity Fair/By National Geographic for Disney+
Hemsworth said he had made positive changes to his lifestyle since receiving the news.
“If you look at Alzheimer’s prevention, the benefit of preventative steps is that it affects the rest of your life. When you have predisposition to cardiovascular heart disease, cancer, anything – it’s all about sleep management, stress management, nutrition, movement, fitness. It’s all kind of the same tools that need to be applied in a consistent way.”
Hundreds of thousands of Australians are currently struggling with Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, there were between 386,200 and 472,000 Australians living with dementia in 2021.
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