Chris Hemsworth has explained why he chose to publicly share that he has a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease, admitting that he wondered if being so open might change the way people perceived him as an actor.
Talk to The Guardian during the press tour for his next film Crime 101The Marvel star explained that the decision didn’t come easily, especially given his longtime image as an action hero.
“I wondered if I was leaving people too far away,” Hemsworth said.
“Are they going to stop believing in the action star or the Marvel character? And do I want people to know my fears and my insecurities on that level?”
Hemsworth first revealed the news in 2022 in an episode of his Disney+ series Unlimitedwhere a doctor told him that his genetic makeup included two copies of the APOE4 gene.
Think of the APOE4 gene as a specific version of a “blueprint” for a protein that manages fat and cholesterol in your body.
We all inherit two copies of the APOE gene, one from each parent, but the “4” variant is essentially like having a slightly less efficient cleaning crew in your brain.
Although its main job is to move fat, it is also responsible for removing a sticky “gunk” called amyloid that can build up and lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Having one or two copies of this version increases your statistical risk of developing the disease, but it is certainly not a guaranteed diagnosis.
Many people carry the gene and remain alert well into their 90s, especially when healthy lifestyle habits are present. So it’s best to view this as a “warning” from your DNA rather than a final verdict.
At the time, he stressed that the gene was not a certainty, explaining that “it’s not like I received my resignation” and that while it is a strong indicator, it is not predeterministic.
The subject has become even more personal for the actor in recent years.
His grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and last November, Hemsworth revealed that his father was currently living with the disease.
This reality, he said, changed the way he viewed life and work.
“My appetite for running forward has really been curbed,” he told the Guardian.
“I became more aware of how fragile things are. You start to think, ‘My dad won’t be here forever.’ And my children are now 11 and 13 years old. Those nights when they fought over sleeping in our bed, suddenly that doesn’t happen anymore.
As a result, Hemsworth said he was slowing down professionally and choosing projects for more personal reasons.
In the past, he admitted, financial considerations often played a bigger role. He remembers thinking, “I come from nothing. Who am I to turn down that kind of money?” and justify their decisions by focusing on how work could help support their extended family.
This shift in priorities was reflected in his 2025 documentary An unforgettable road tripwhich focused on his father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Hemsworth described the film as deeply moving, saying it “was so deeply personal. It was a love letter to my father. It empowered him for a time and stimulated memories that were being taken away from him.”
