Chris Hemsworth Finds Sobering Health Revelation during ‘Limitless’ Filming
Chris Hemsworth shares a look at a pivotal moment in his health documentary Limitless that almost didn’t make the final cut.
Hemsworth, also known as Thor, underwent a series of physical exams and screenings while filming the show for National Geographic. The series follows him joining forces with scientists and medical professionals.
Additionally, these episodes aim to reduce stress, improve performance and slow the aging process.
During Episode 5, doctors determined through Hemsworth’s blood tests that he had two copies of the APOE4 gene. This makes him genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease.
“I was offered a version of the episode where we didn’t talk about it. And for the exact reason you are mentioning now, 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,” Hemsworth stated.
“My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and overdramatize it. And make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment.”
According to Hemsworth, the original plan for the episode was for his test results to be revealed on camera. But they didn’t go through with the plan due to what they found.
“Peter Attia, who is the longevity doctor in that episode, and overseeing a lot of the show, called [show creator] Darren [Aronofsky] and said, ‘I don’t want to tell him this on camera. We need to have an off-side conversation. And see if he even wants this to be in the show,’” Hemsworth stated.
“It was pretty shocking because he called me up, and he told me.”
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Likely Happen
While not a firm diagnosis, the gene suggests that Hemsworth may be “eight to ten times” more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
“The show, which initially was an exploration of longevity and, of course, should be fun, became even more relevant and important for me. Even more poignant than I ever thought it would be,” he said.
“It was a really good catalyst to dive into everything I needed to be doing in either the prevention front or the management front or however you want to classify it. It’s not a pre-deterministic gene, but it is a strong indication.”
Although the diagnosis doesn’t come as a surprise for Hemsworth, it was still a quietening discovery. The actor’s grandfather is currently suffering from the disease.
“Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it. We all have this belief that we’ll figure it out,” he stated.
“Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen. The reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality.”
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What Hemsworth Found
In a September interview with EW, Hemsworth revealed that he’s found a newfound appreciation for the mental and physical beauty of the human body. This is due to his experience while filming Limitless.
“It was one extreme after another – a series of scientific experiments where I was the guinea pig,” he stated.
“I was just in awe of the individuals I was working with who did this day to day. But also, I gained a beautiful understanding and appreciation for how incredible the human body and mind is, and what potential we all have.”
Limitless is now available to watch on Disney+.
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