Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

Episode: MARVEL STARS – Chris Hemsworth on ‘Limitless’ and Life Beyond Thor

Date: December 13, 2025
Guest: Chris Hemsworth
Host: Willie Geist

Overview

In this episode of Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist sits down with Chris Hemsworth to discuss his National Geographic/Disney+ series Limitless, which pushes the actor beyond his superhero persona to confront aging, stress, mortality, and memory in a deeply personal and physical journey. The conversation delves into Hemsworth’s Australian upbringing, the transformations brought by fame, and the profound lessons learned during the making of Limitless. The discussion weaves together stories of Hollywood hustle, family, self-doubt, and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Genesis and Purpose of Limitless

• Pitch & Development:
  • Darren Aronofsky approached Hemsworth about three years ago to host a show on longevity, testing scientific approaches to health with world experts.

    “The way it was explained to me was… we're going to test some of the science and put you through a series of pretty physical, mental, emotional challenges."
    — Chris Hemsworth (04:00)

  • Filming spanned the COVID era, growing from a planned 2.5 weeks to over 2.5 years.
• Physical & Emotional Tests:
  • The show places Hemsworth in extreme situations for authenticity: climbing beams 1,000 feet above Sydney, Arctic ocean swims, survival tests from Australian special forces.
  • The experience became unexpectedly emotional, especially tackling acceptance and death in the final episode.

2. Vulnerability, Stress & Anxiety

• Stepping Out from the Mask:
  • For Hemsworth, the hardest part was dropping the public persona and talking openly about personal anxieties and vulnerabilities.

    "It was probably my biggest hesitation… to then play yourself… dissect some pretty deep concepts… It was kind of like being in a therapy session."
    — Chris Hemsworth (06:49)

• Managing Stress:
  • Hemsworth describes the stress triggers of everyday life—public attention when with his kids, for example—and reflects on the universal impact of chronic stress.
  • Through techniques learned on the show (notably breathwork and focus), he’s able to lower his own heart rate in extreme circumstances, demonstrating practical tools for viewers.

    "In the episode when I'm walking across the skyscraper off the beam and my heart rate goes up to 145, and then through some breathing techniques and focus, bring it back down to about 85."
    — Chris Hemsworth (09:45)

3. Confronting Memory & Health Fears

• Alzheimer’s Risk Discovery:
  • In a key Limitless episode about memory, Hemsworth reveals he discovered genetic markers indicating elevated risk for Alzheimer's.

    “They did a deep dive into my blood work and my genetics and found some things… indications that put me in a very high… risk category for Alzheimer's. It was a real shock.”
    — Chris Hemsworth (10:50)

  • The shock was balanced by a sense of empowerment to improve his habits and overall brain health.

    "It became a wonderful motivator to make changes and do things differently..." (10:50–12:09)

• Lifestyle Matters:
  • Hemsworth stresses that daily habits—sleep, nutrition, stress management—have a bigger impact than genetics alone.

    "The majority of the outcome is based on our lifestyle choices...the benefits for me, not just sort of physically, but emotionally…"
    — Chris Hemsworth (12:52)

4. Acceptance, Mortality & Gratitude

• Immersive Experience on Death:
  • The final episode involves Hemsworth living in a retirement home, donning an aging simulation suit, and conversing deeply about death with residents, palliative care professionals, and his wife, Elsa Pataky (who surprised him on set).

    "I was an absolute guinea pig in this experiment...across these three days, in detail, talking about death and considering the end of life."
    — Chris Hemsworth (14:48)

  • The episode produced a lasting sense of gratitude and a determination "to rush home to my kids and family and go, right, this is what I want to do." (17:37)
• Key Takeaway:
  • Acceptance leads to greater fulfillment.

    "People with a greater acceptance of death live with a greater sense of gratitude and...purpose."
    — Chris Hemsworth (15:30)

5. Family, Motivation & Work Ethic

• Origins of Drive:
  • Hemsworth credits his relentless work ethic to humble beginnings in Australia and a desire to provide for his family.

    "When I finally paid off my parents house and took care of them...I went, oh, now what?"
    — Chris Hemsworth (21:48)

• Role Evolution:
  • Over time, his purpose has shifted from financial security to creative passion and family balance.

6. Hollywood Hustle & “Thor”

• Early Struggles:
  • Hemsworth details his tough move from Australian soaps (Home and Away, The Saddle Club) to LA, enduring rejections and visa anxiety.

    “First sort of three, four months… it was like, no, no, no, no, no, no…my visa was about to run out.” (25:19)

• Breakthroughs:
  • Landing a small role in Star Trek (via J.J. Abrams) unexpectedly paved the way to bigger projects, including Cabin in the Woods and the MCU’s Thor.
• Thor’s Impact:
  • Hemsworth reflects on the unimagined scale of Thor's success and how working with different directors kept the role evolving and fun.

    “It's been the Thor Marvel train for a while and anything else has been either side of it.” (27:53)

  • As of this interview, Hemsworth hints his run as Thor may be complete:

    "At the moment I've sort of, you know, my runner's Thor is. That's it, I think." (29:44)

7. Maintaining Normalcy

• Private Life Choices:
  • Hemsworth discusses moving his family back to Australia for greater privacy and a grounded upbringing for his children.

    "I had this sense of, I don't know, refilling of my cup, I guess."
    — Chris Hemsworth (33:23)

• Integrating Family & Career:
  • Family remains at the center, and career choices are increasingly driven by the desire for balance.

8. Comedy & Future Roles

• Surprising Fans in Ghostbusters:
  • Hemsworth recalls the fun and nerves of his comedic turn in Ghostbusters—improvising alongside top comedic actresses, and expressing regret that the series didn’t continue.

    “That was one of the funnest experiences… the whole thing was improvised and they couldn't have been more generous with kind of helping me through it.” (34:52)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On facing his own mortality:

  “We like to think we're gonna beat it somehow...but the science shows us that people with a greater acceptance of death live with a greater sense of gratitude.”
  — Chris Hemsworth (15:15)

• On the power of vulnerability:

  "Being vulnerable, it opens people up to their own interpretation…they can put themselves in your shoes..."
  — Chris Hemsworth (07:19)

• On stress in everyday life:

  “When I'm with my kids in a restaurant, and they start flipping out…that triggers my fight or flight in a pretty intense way.”
  — Chris Hemsworth (08:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:27 – Podcast episode introduction by Willie Geist
• 03:25 – Start of conversation with Chris Hemsworth
• 04:50 – Hemsworth on how Limitless was pitched to him
• 06:49 – Discussing vulnerability and opening up emotionally
• 09:45 – Using stress management techniques in real scenarios
• 10:50 – The Alzheimer’s risk episode; personal health revelations
• 14:48 – The "acceptance" episode and confronting mortality
• 17:37 – Reflections on what the show changed for him personally
• 21:48 – Motivation coming from family responsibility
• 25:19 – Struggling through LA auditions; visa stress
• 27:53 – Transition from Star Trek to Thor and MCU stardom
• 29:44 – On possibly concluding his role as Thor
• 33:23 – Reasons for moving home to Australia for normalcy
• 34:52 – Comic timing in Ghostbusters and working with improv elites

Final Thoughts

This candid conversation peels back the Hollywood myth and Marvel muscle to reveal Chris Hemsworth’s vulnerability, gratitude, and drive to make life meaningful, both for himself and viewers. Limitless isn’t just a daredevil show; it's a meditation on stress, purpose, and the universal search for balance, as modeled by one of the world’s most recognized stars.

For fans and newcomers alike, this episode is a deep, occasionally profound, and always entertaining look into Chris Hemsworth’s journey, both on and off-screen.