Key Takeaways
- Character Motivation: Chris Hemsworth emphasizes the importance of understanding a character’s perspective, even when portraying a villain.
- Upcoming Projects: Hemsworth has several films in the pipeline, including Crime 101 and Avengers: Doomsday.
- Character Depth: Hemsworth’s approach to playing Dementus involved deep psychological exploration to empathize with his character.
- New Thrillers: His role in Subversion showcases a high-stakes narrative involving a submarine and illegal cargo.
There’s an old saying that no one ever believes they’re the villain, and it’s a mindset many actors adopt when stepping into antagonistic roles. To make those characters feel real, they try to understand — and even defend — their motivations, no matter how monstrous the behaviour. But that approach can sometimes go too far. When Chris Hemsworth found himself sympathizing a little too much with Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, someone had to step in and tell him to pump the brakes.
Chris Hemsworth on Empathizing with Dementus Too Much
During an appearance on the On Purpose podcast, Hemsworth said he’s “been on press tours defending my character, and then being tapped on the shoulder and like, ‘The guy killed a bunch of people.’ I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, okay, besides that part.’“
In order to get into character, Hemsworth started journaling and tried to view the world through Dementus’s eyes. “He was a pretty ugly, villainous individual on paper and on screen, as well,” he said. “But I had to find a way to sort of understand and empathize with his position.“
He continued, “From his point of view, he was the hero…. Each day was kind of an experiment and a real sort of deep dive into the psyche of this individual and what were the sort of justifications for his actions, which were perceived from one angle as horrific, but from his angle and his position, from where his people were standing, [as] survival of the fittest.“
What’s Next for Hemsworth?
Hemsworth has a handful of upcoming projects on his slate, including Crime 101, a thriller based on the novella of the same name by Don Winslow. The film follows a Los Angeles detective (Mark Ruffalo) who pursues an elusive thief (Hemsworth) who teams up with an insurance broker (Halle Berry) for one last heist. It’s set to be released on February 13.
Next up is Avengers: Doomsday, where the actor will be reprising the role of Thor. He was the focus of the second teaser trailer and is expected to play a major role in the star-studded Marvel flick. The film will hit theaters on December 18.
He’s also been filming Subversion, a project described as a “Die Hard on a submarine” style thriller. Hemsworth will star as a “once-promising Naval commander who is blackmailed by a cartel-like operation into piloting a dangerous submarine carrying illegal cargo across international waters. Thrust into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, the man must outmaneuver blockades and navigate perilous threats both in and outside of the submarine.”
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