Chris Hemsworth has been very open about the health concerns he and his family have faced in recent years. Now he is sharing even more about that part of his life.
Keep reading to learn more.
In a new documentary titled A Road Trip to Remember, Chris Hemsworth takes his father on a journey to explore his progressing Alzheimer’s disease. The actor discussed the family’s experience with the neurodegenerative condition during an interview on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast.
He revisited how, during filming for his series Limitless, he learned he carries two copies of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, which indicates a higher likelihood of developing the same diagnosis as his father. But his dad told him not to worry.
Speaking to Shetty from his home in Byron Bay, Australia, the actor recalled, “I remember vividly that conversation of him sort of telling me not to be concerned about it.”
He continued, “And then about two or three years later, my mom saying to me, ‘I think we’ve got to get Dad checked because there are these signs and things I’m concerned about.’”
The 42‑year‑old Hemsworth shared the first red flags the family noticed — some of the most common early signs of Alzheimer’s.
“The obvious one — memory and slight mood changes and shifts and forgetfulness and so on,” Hemsworth said. He added that tests showed both his parents shared the same genetic indicator for the disease. This means all three of their sons — Liam, Luke, and Chris — also carry two copies of the gene.
His father initially brushed it off as “no big deal,” but the Marvel actor decided to take action and began thinking about “doing something around brain health” with his dad.
He chose to share his test results publicly, and his father, Craig Hemsworth, supported the decision. Together, they hoped to spread awareness and “shed some light” on Alzheimer’s — and maybe learn something along the way.
“He says it in the documentary, but his biggest concern was being a burden. And that was heartbreaking to hear and consider,” Hemsworth shared. “And I had never even — up until we shot the documentary — I didn’t know how he felt about it, you know, because I hadn’t asked him.”
The documentary evolved into a motorcycle journey where father and son explore the disease and take a radical approach to Alzheimer’s therapy.
They travel from Melbourne to the Northern Territories, trying extreme reminiscence therapy with help from the University of New South Wales, exploring and recreating places and moments that were meaningful in Craig’s life.
Using their production budget, the Hemsworth family recreated their first home with near‑perfect detail — including Point Break posters and jars of Vegemite.
It’s believed that people with Alzheimer’s can benefit from retrieving memories from their past. While the documentary includes touching moments, it also shows heartbreaking ones.
While looking at their old Melbourne home, Craig asks his son, “Where’s Leonie? She coming?” referring to his wife. He repeats the question minutes later, leaving Chris visibly concerned.
On the podcast, Hemsworth also shared that he has “turned down a lot of things” to spend more time with his dad.
“I know I’m not going to get 10 years down the track and go, ‘I’m glad I did those extra three or four films.’ I’m going to say, ‘I wish I spent more time with him, and with my mom, and with my brothers, and my wife, my kids, and family, and friends.’”
This is such a heartbreaking update. We hope the very best for the Hemsworth family. Share this with anyone who might be interested in this update.
