While Chris Hemsworth is best recognized as the MCU’s Thor, what other major productions has the Australian native starred in that are worth a watch?
Chris Hemsworth is a beloved actor best known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he has starred in many other films that deserve recognition. Before making it big in the MCU, the Australian native had humble beginnings on a soap opera titled Home and Away. Shortly after his soap opera stint, Hemsworth briefly appeared as James T. Kirk’s father, George Kirk, during the first moments of J.J. Abram’s 2009 film Star Trek. After Star Trek, Hemsworth had a bit of trouble finding new film roles.
“I had a huge amount of anxiety when I was auditioning, and that just got worse and worse the more I heard the word ‘no’. I did a lot of soul searching on a number of occasions, where I asked myself: ‘Why am I doing this? What’s my motivation to put myself through this?'” stated Hemsworth to the Heat. Hemsworth’s worrying was quickly put to rest when he was cast in the 2011 film Thor. Here are some of his other notable roles along the way.
Hemsworth Is Part of a New Generation of Men in Black
Hemsworth starred as Henry, known as Agent H in the Men in Black organization, in Men in Black: International. The 2019 film is the fourth installment of the Men in Black film franchise and the first one to not include Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones as a main cast member. Henry is an agent for the United Kingdom branch of Men in Black. He appeared alongside Molly Wright, or Agent M, played by Tessa Thompson. Hemsworth and Thompson previously starred together in Thor: Ragnarok. The iconic duo returned and displayed their spark-worthy chemistry. Men in Black: International was also another opportunity for Hemsworth to show off his comedy chops.
Hemsworth Proved His Ability To Play Serious Characters in Extraction
Extraction is a Netflix 2020 action film directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo, one half of the Russo brothers known for directing MCU films like Avengers: Endgame and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Hemsworth played Tyler Rake, a black-ops mercenary formerly employed by the Special Air Service Regiment. While Hemsworth has previously excelled in comedic roles, Extraction was an opportunity to prove his ability to play serious characters. A sequel to Extraction is reportedly in the works with an unspecified release date sometime this year, which will hopefully answer questions about Rake’s life or death status.
Viewers Applauded Hemsworth’s Brief Cameo in Star Trek
While Hemsworth’s role as George Kirk in the J.J. Abrams’ 2009 film Star Trek was brief, he made a considerable impression on viewers. George was the father of Chris Pine’s character James T. Kirk and was the first officer of the USS Kelvin. “The film’s opening five minutes, in which George Kirk flies a suicide mission to save his wife and son, is the best five minutes I’ve spent in a movie theater this year,” stated Josh Tyler in an article for CinemaBlend. The role was perfect for a charismatic actor like Hemsworth, but unfortunately, he turned down a role in Star Trek 4 over disagreements about the script’s quality.
Rush Is Another Opportunity for Hemsworth To Show Off His Charm
The 2013 sports film Rush depicts the intense rivalry between two real-life Formula One drivers in the 1970s, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Peter Morgan wrote the film, Ron Howard directed, and Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl starred as Hunt and Lauda respectively. This biographical film was outside of Hemsworth’s typical comfort zone, but it is arguably his best role besides Thor. Hemsworth was cast perfectly in the role as Hunt due to the driver’s real-life charisma, compared to Hemsworth’s exceptional ability to play those types of characters on-screen. Rush sports an 8.1 rating on IMDb and is available to stream on Netflix.
Hemsworth Surprised Audiences in Snow White and the Huntsman
The 2012 film Snow White and the Huntsman is based on the classic German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm but isn’t as bright and happy as Disney’s animated film. The film featured Rupert Sanders in his directorial debut and cast members like Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Sam Claflin. It also was Bob Hoskins’ final film performance before his death. People expected Hemsworth to play the dashing role of Prince Charming, but he shocked viewers when he appeared as the Huntsman on-screen.
Queen Ravenna, Snow White’s wicked stepmother, tasked The Huntsman with tracking down Snow White to kill her. However, the tables turned and the Huntsman joined Snow White in her quest for revenge against her stepmother. Snow White and the Huntsman was largely a box office success and proved Hemsworth’s extensive range for various film roles.
Source: cbr.com
