Chris Hemsworth says he regrets leaning too far into comedy for "Thor: Love and Thunder."
Marvel Studios
Chris Hemsworth says he regrets "Thor: Love and Thunder" because he "became a parody" of himself in what was his ninth appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The 40-year-old star first played Thor hero in 2011's "Thor" and he reprised the role in three sequels and all four Avengers movies.
But when speaking to Vanity Fair ahead of "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," Hemsworth described the limits to the role.
He would get jealous of the scripts his Marvel costars were given, he said.
"Sometimes I felt like a security guard for the team. I would read everyone else's lines, and go, Oh, they got way cooler stuff. They're having more fun. What's my character doing?" He said.
He added: "Yeah, I'm part of this big thing, but I'm probably pretty replaceable."
Hemsworth might have seen himself as replaceable, but his work as Thor propelled him to international stardom, and he started to explore different roles away from Marvel.
In 2020, Netflix built a new action franchise, "Extraction," around Hemsworth. Its 2023 sequel, "Extraction 2," was watched 102.5 million times within its first three weeks, according to Deadline.
Hemsworth took up the role of Thor again for 2022's "Thor: Love and Thunder" alongside Taika Waititi, but didn't love the result.
"I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself," he said. "I didn't stick the landing."
His time on "Love and Thunder," as well as filming numerous action movies, has led to Hemsworth becoming more critical of his work.
"You're sort of just running on fumes, and then you're showing up to something with little in the tank and you start to pick things apart: Why am I doing this film? Why isn't this script better?" he explained.
It's a rare thing to see an A-list star publicly acknowledge their limits as a character actor, as well as their own anxieties about wanting to develop their career.
Hemsworth's honest comments are a far cry away from the typical stoic profile pieces or funny viral clips from a press junket.
He also voiced his concerns about being typecast as an action hero, noting that he worries about not landing legacy-making roles with prestige directors.
"Why didn't that director call me for that or why didn't I get considered for this role? Why don't I get the call-up from Scorsese or Tarantino? I had begun to take it all too serious and too personal."
