In the health documentary Limitless, Chris Hemsworth gives an insight into one crucial part that almost didn’t make it into the final cut.
Hemsworth, famous for Thor, underwent a series of physical exams and screenings while filming his new show for National Geographic. The series follows him joining forces with scientists and medical professionals.
Furthermore, these episodes are all about reducing stress and improving performance. Not only does it help you slow down the aging process but also increases your energy levels by leaps-and bounds.
In the fifth episode, doctors reveal that Hemsworth carries two copies of the APOE4 gene which makes him genetically predisposed towards Alzheimer’s disease.
“I was offered a version of the episode where we didn’t talk about it. And for the exact reason you are mentioning now, 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,” Hemsworth stated.
“My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and overdramatize it. And make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment.”
Hemsworth revealed they originally planned to unveil his test results on camera. But it never happened because of what they found.
“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,’” Hemsworth stated.
“It was pretty shocking because he called me up, and he told me.”
Gene in Hemsworth
The gene suggests that Hemsworth may be eight to 10 times more prone towards future Alzheimer’s disease.
“The show, which initially was an exploration of longevity and, of course, should be fun, became even more relevant and important for me. Even more poignant than I ever thought it would be,” he said.
“It was a really good catalyst to dive into everything I needed to be doing in either the prevention front or the management front. Or however you want to classify it. It’s not a pre-deterministic gene, but it is a strong indication.”
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While the diagnosis isn’t surprising for Hemsworth, it was still a heartstopping discovery. The actor’s grandfather is currently suffering from the disease.
“Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it. We all have this belief that we’ll figure it out,” he stated.
“Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen. The reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality.”
Experiments Reveal Crucial Info
In a September interview with EW, Hemsworth revealed that he found a newfound appreciation for the human body’s mental and physical beauty. This is due to his experience while filming Limitless.
“It was one extreme after another. A series of scientific experiments where I was the guinea pig,” he stated.
“I was just in awe of the individuals I was working with who did this day to day. But also, I gained a beautiful understanding and appreciation for how incredible the human body and mind is, and what potential we all have.”
Limitless is now available to watch on Disney+.
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