Born on August 11, 1983, Australian heartthrob Chris Hemsworth has made quite a name for himself by swinging his hammer as Marvel comic book character Thor, starring in several films under that title and in related features like The Avengers. The Melbourne native and married dad has also earned leading roles in Snow White and the Huntsman, Rush and In the Heart of the Sea, while showing his comedic chops in reboots of Vacation and Ghostbusters.

Early Life and Brothers

Chris Hemsworth was born on August 11, 1983, in Melbourne, Australia. Surfing was his No. 2 passion — which his siblings also shared — but Hemsworth knew that his first love was acting. After attending Heathmont Secondary College, the aspiring star snagged minor roles in television shows Down Under. Hemsworth has one older brother, Luke, and one younger brother, Liam. Both his brothers are actors as well.

Hemsworth followed in the footsteps of other famous Aussies like Heath Ledger, Isla Fisher, Simon Baker and Naomi Watts by becoming a regular on the soap opera Home and Away. In 2007, after three seasons of playing character Kim Hyde, he headed stateside to continue his entertainment career.

Movies

It didn't take long for the actor to make it onto the American silver screen when he appeared in J.J. Abrams' 2009 remake of Star Trek. His part as Captain James T. Kirk's dad may have been small, but it was enough of a performance to lead to a huge Hollywood opportunity.

'Thor'

Hemsworth auditioned for the lead in the superhero film Thor. He went up against some stiff competition, including younger brother Liam. But director Kenneth Brannagh chose the older Hemsworth to play the Norse god in the 2011 flick opposite Oscar-winners Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins. This box-office success elevated Hemsworth to A-List status.

The Avengers' and Marvel Sequels

The following year, he became Thor once more in The Avengers. Hemsworth suited up as the Norse god for a third time in 2013's Thor: The Dark World, and he went on reprise this popular character in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).

'Snow White and the Huntsman,' 'Rush,' 'In the Heart of the Sea'

An ability to bring in big movie crowds, especially female fans, helped the handsome actor land other leading roles besides his work as Thor. He starred in Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), with Kristen Stewart, and later returned to the role in The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016). In between, Hemsworth appeared in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and worked with iconic director Ron Howard for Rush (2013), a real-life car racing story. The actor teamed up with Howard again for the shipwreck tale In the Heart of the Sea (2015).

'Vacation,' 'Ghostbusters,' 'Men In Black: International'

Hemsworth has also landed prominent roles in reboots of popular '80s films: In 2015, he played the brother-in-law of Ed Helms' Rusty Griswold in Vacation, and the following year, he served as the team's secretary in Ghostbusters. In early 2018, Hemsworth played a U.S. Army captain in the war drama 12 Strong. He then co-starred in the 2019 sci-fi sequel Men In Black: International, with Ragnarok colleague Tessa Thompson, before headlining the action thriller Extraction in 2020.

Wife and Family

Hemsworth's talent agent, William Ward, not only helped his client score primo parts, but it's also through that connection that he met his wife — Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, known for her roles in Snakes on a Plane and Fast Five. The two shared the same representation. Three months after going public with their romance, the 27-year-old married his 34-year-old fiancée on Christmas weekend in 2010 in Australia.

Two years later, the couple welcomed their baby girl, India, into the world. Hemsworth immediately vowed to teach his daughter to surf — just as soon as she could walk. In an interview with Yahoo, Hemsworth said, "Having a baby has made everything else less important, and it's just wonderful." The couple added to their growing family with the arrival of twin boys, Tristan and Sasha, in 2014.

Public image

After appearing as Thor in the MCU franchise, Hemsworth's physique gained attention from fans. His exercise routines have been regularly discussed in the media, including The Times of India, Men's Health, MensXP, Entertainment Tonight, and Metro. He later created the fitness app Centr, which provides paying customers access to nutrition, wellness, and exercise routines. In 2014, he was named the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine.

Hemsworth is an avid supporter of the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League. He was the star of the AFL's 2014 Everything's Possible campaign, donating the fees for his involvement to the Australian Children Foundation. Hemsworth was also the star in the AFL's 2017 "I'd Like to See That" commercial.

Wealth

As his career in Hollywood films has developed, Hemsworth has become one of the world's highest-paid actors. He appeared in Forbes' World's Highest Paid Actors list in 2014, 2015, and 2018. Additionally, he ranked 31st in the magazine's list of Highest Paid Celebrities in 2018 and 24th in 2019 with estimated earnings of US$76.4 million.

Charity

In May 2020, Chris and his brother Liam were among the celebrities who read an instalment of Roald Dahl's children's fantasy novel James and the Giant Peach in aid of the global-non profit charity Partners In Health, co-founded by Dahl's daughter Ophelia, which had been fighting COVID-19 in vulnerable areas.

Filmography

Film