One of Marvel’s best-known onscreen superheroes almost sounded quite different. Many fans know Chris Hemsworth best for his role as Thor, the hammer-wielding god in the Marvel films, but there was a time when Hemsworth wasn’t sure he would win the coveted role. He almost missed out on the chance of a lifetime and for a family member, no less. Read on to discover how Hemsworth fought for, and eventually won, the role of Thor Odinson.
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How did He enter in acting?
Hemsworth was born in Australia in 1983, the second of three brothers. His elder brother, Luke Hemsworth, and his younger brother, Liam Hemsworth, would both become actors as well. Chris Hemsworth made his debut on screen acting in various television serials including Guinweaver Jones and The Saddle Club.
Hemsworth was first introduced to American audiences in 2009 when he played the father of James T. Kirk in Star Trek. He also appeared in the thriller A Perfect Getaway. While Hemsworth was getting some choice parts, he had not yet scored the role that would boost his career to the next level. Fortunately, he did not wait long, as Marvel Studios had begun their search for the perfect actor to take the lead in their brand new, Kenneth Branagh-directed film, Thor.
When Chris Hemsworth auditioned for the role of Thor?
Dozens of actors tried out for the role of Thor, the god of thunder, including English actor Tom Huddleston. While Huddleston did not snag the lead role, she was cast in the leading role of Loki, Thor’s evil brother.
Hemsworth opened up about the problematic audition process later, admitting he tried out for the part very early in the process and did not do well at all. After his first disastrous audition, his younger brother Liam Hemsworth, by then a successful actor by himself, went on to try out for the role. According to Chris Hemsworth, his younger brother did an excellent job, and this caused him a lot of trouble.
This jealousy prompted him to return for another screen test, and this time, he killed it, impressing the film’s creators immensely. “Brother rivalry,” as the elder Hemsworth brother called it, inspired him to push the limits of his abilities, and as everyone now knows, he landed the iconic role.
Although Liam Hemsworth did not get a part in Thor, he probably did not feel sorry for himself for very long. He got a significant part in the Hunger Games series, as well as roles in films such as Last Song, Duel, and Empire State. He later admitted that he was never actually sold on the part anyway, and felt as if he was too young to explain in the role. After all, he was only eighteen when he went in to try out for Thor.
Chris Hemsworth is now best known for playing Thor
When Thor was released in 2009, fans and critics went wild. The dark, moody film was different from anything that Marvel had released before, and Chris Hemsworth was pitch-perfect as Thor, Odin’s infamous son who is banished to Earth when he can’t control his anger. Hemsworth has gone on to reprise his role as Thor several times, including in Marvel’s Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
While Marvel is left mum on the future of her role, she is set to return as Thor in an expected release, opposite Thor: Love and Thunder, Natalie Portman. As for Hemsworth, he has proved that he has the talent and charm to take any character (no matter how otherworldly) to life.
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