Chris Hemsworth

CELEBRITY

STAR QUALITY

Actor Chris Hemsworth on a life away from the lens.

Chris Hemsworth may be one of the biggest stars in Hollywood but he’s happiest when he’s at the beach.

“I know people want to imagine I spend all my life a showbiz parties but it’s really not me,” he begins.

“Perhaps in the early days it was good fun to soak up the limelight a bit, but as you get older that whole thing becomes less and less attractive, and you actually grow to hate it.”

His childhood was spent embracing the outdoors, going after outward bound pursuits and anything that meant fitness, health and oxygen. “I think getting the best out you. That, for me, is the our consciousness in of life normally comes best way to live.” Australian soap Home back to looking out for very simple things and recognising how important they are,” he continues. ”We live in a world that promotes wealth and excess and stardom and all that flashy Friendly, funny and charming, the 37-yearold Thor star and dad of three has definitely reclined back into family life after a chaotic decade in front of the camera. and Away in 2004, progressing to Star Trek and A Perfect Getaway, ultimately paved the way for his portrayal of Marvel hero Thor. With a role that combined comic book legacy with stuff, but real joy and The acceleration with incredible special effects satisfactions comes from which the Aussie actor and, of course, a need people and nature around suddenly leapt into to bulk up for a role in a 26

way he had never done before, Hemsworth accepted as well that his star was about to rise into a new place. The hugely successful sequels and spin-offs duly arrived, while other lead roles in big-budget movies such as Rush, Snow White and the Huntsman, In the Heart of the Sea and last year’s Men in Black: International have seen the actor assume film icon status. “The fame thing is exciting but, at my core, the biggest thrill is being an actor, having fun with these roles and creating art. Sometimes that comes about slowly on a project and elevates the further forward it goes; other times you just have to glance at the script for a few moments to understand the power and potential of what lays in front of you.” Certainly, the impact made by his portrayal of Thor has, ironically, given Hemsworth the licence to move away from the character. “It’s probably fair to say the break from the industry has come at the right time for me. Whatever you do, you always want to go out on a high, and such has been the scale of the last few movies I‘ve done, it makes you feel like you can have a break from things without too much to prove.” “Ultimately, I want our children to grow up with the same kind of close spirit that my brothers [actors Luke and Liam Hemsworth] and I experienced,” he says. “My father was surfing and playing ball with us, and our mother was always there keeping us in line. My parents encouraged us to do what we wanted without ever trying to control us.” “I grew up on cattle and buffalo stations in the Northern Territory Australia and then my family and I moved back to Melbourne and then down the coast.“ “Those kinds of experiences helped shape me and my brothers’ way of looking at the world and making us more adventurous. Traveling, meeting different kinds of people and exploring different places will teach you more about life than you can pick up from reading books.” As well as exploring their unique surroundings, returning home has also offered the opportunity to kick back and chill. That said, it’s not all rest and relaxation for Hemsworth – he has a new language to master given his wife, Elsa Pataky, the model and actress, originates from Madrid. “Elsa speaks Spanish to our kids and everyone’s fluent in Spanish in the house… except for me!” he laughs. “I’ve always been meaning to learn the language but have never managed to do it. My kids love speaking in another language, though, and I’m happy that they will grow up able to speak both English and Spanish.” “Give me another year and I’ll get it,” he laughs. The family’s ability to travel may be somewhat hampered by the restrictions on global movement that we are all experiencing; and that slowdown is matched by the dormancy of the studios. Hemsworth does at least have What If?, a Thor TV series to look forward to, plus a followup to the Netflix series Extraction. Although most things remain on hold, the actor doesn’t mind – he has always been a man who can see the bigger picture. “There are much more important things going on at the moment than film and TV.“ “We will all come back stronger, I am sure, and I look forward to that day.”

Lifestyle chats to Keely Griffiths owner of Be Well With Keely on good days, your shoulder on bad days. She will ‘keep it real’ and

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HEALTH

IT’S WORLD DIABETES DAY 14 NOVEMBER

6 tips to help take control of Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Sarah Brewer. too much of a struggle, 1. Try a more plant try making healthier focused diet Following changes – when drinking a healthy more plant- spirits always add a based diet (low fibre, low calorie, or diet, low-glycaemic index with mixer rather than one only healthy carbs such containing sugar and as wholegrains, pulses, remember that fruit juice fruit and vegetables),can can be high in sugar too. help with managing the 4. Swap milk for dark condition. chocolate Forget milk 2. Dust off your running or white chocolate shoes! Step up your goodies and opt for dark exercise. Guidelines chocolate instead – the recommend at least higher the cocoa solid 2.5 hours of moderate content, the better. Dark intensity physical activity chocolate has a lower per week, such as brisk sugar content and more walking or cycling or antioxidant polyphenols, 75 minutes of vigorous which have protective intensity activity (such effects on circulation. as running or playing 5. Avoid excess stress football) spread over the when possible When week. you feel emotionally 3. Ditch your sugary stressed, your body mixers Ensure that your goes into Fight or Flight alcohol intake is within mode, which is driven by healthy limits or, if you the adrenal hormones: can, give up alcohol adrenaline, noradrenaline altogether for a while and and cortisol. As well as measure the difference in making your heart pump your mood, blood sugars faster and your pulse and weight. Alcohol race, these hormones is high in calories and increase your blood carbs and also reduces pressure, make your your willpower to resist breath more rapidly, tense unhealthy foods! If this is your muscles and cause blood glucose levels to rise to provide instant energy. These effects prime you to fight or flee and when this expected physical activity does not occur, the effects are prolonged, including the raised glucose level.

6. Support your partner

When you settle down with a partner, you will tend to adopt some of their habits too. Research reveals that once a couple start living together, they’re three times more likely to become obese than those who live separately. This is probably down to sharing obesityrelated behaviours, such as choosing unhealthy snacks and watching TV, or playing computer games, instead of exercising. Rather than encouraging each other to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle, they are more likely to encourage negative behaviours so they won’t feel so bad about over-indulging alone. Apparently this tendency is strongest once a couple has lived together for at least two years” explains Dr. Sarah Brewer. Instead of watching your favourite Netflix series, whilst binge eating, encourage your partner to come with you on a brisk winter's walk instead! 29