Actor Chris Hemsworth, 39, undergone genetic tests which revealed he had two copies of the gene APOE4. One from each of his parents represents “strongest risk factor gene for Alzheimer’s disease while being busy filming his docuseries Limitless
“And 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.’” The actor was told that the results revealed he was “eight to ten times” more likely to get the disease.
Another proof of the high risk is the fact that Hemsworth’s grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“It really triggered something in me to want to take some time off,” he said.
“And since we finished the show, I’ve been completing the things I was already contracted to do.
Now when I finish this tour this week, I’m going home and I’m going to have a good chunk of time off and just simplify. Be with the kids, be with my wife.”
“Doing an episode on d3ath and facing your own mortality made me go, ‘Oh God, I’m not ready to go yet’,” he shared.
“Then you start talking about kids and family and going, ‘Oh my God, they’re getting older, they’re growing up and I keep slapping another movie on top of another movie.’ Before you know it, they’re 18 and they’ve moved out of house, and I missed the window.”
“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.’
Now that he is taking some time off of work doesn’t mean he resigned or quit his career.
In contrast, he spends more time with his family and prioritizes what is most important to him. At the same time, he hopes those who read his interview and see the episode would be encouraged to do just the same.