Chris Hemsworth is reckoning with his own mortality after discovering he is genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease. 

The Australian actor, 39, recently lost his grandfather Martin to Alzheimer’s at age 83, and spoke to British GQ magazine this week about how he wants to be remembered when it’s his time to go.

Hemsworth said he was touched to hear people talking fondly about Martin at his funeral, and hopes the same will happen for him when he dies.

‘My uncle specifically said, “he’s remembered as a good bloke”. And if he knew, or if someone told him that’s how he would be remembered, how incredibly proud he would feel,’ the Thor star explained.

‘It made me think about my own life. And it wasn’t about career or anything. It was about being remembered as someone who was good and kind and contributed something of value.’

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Chris Hemsworth, 39, (pictured) has revealed how he wants to be remembered when he dies after discovering he is genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease – as ‘unemployed actor’ says he hasn’t worked in seven months

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Hemsworth, who decided to take ‘time off’ after filming a confronting episode about death for his new Disney+ docuseries Limitless, said he doesn’t care about fans remembering him as a movie star when he dies.

‘Everything has more importance now, because of the realisation that this isn’t going to last forever,’ Hemsworth later added.

As for his career, the actor insisted that he doesn’t want to leave a ‘pile of rubbish’ movies behind, and will now only take on projects that he deems ‘worthy of his time’.

Hemsworth hasn’t worked for seven months, and sardonically referred to himself as ‘unemployed’ in the interview.

Instead he has been spending quality time with his wife Elsa, 46, and three children, daughter India, 10, and twin boys Tristan and Sasha, nine.

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Hemsworth hasn’t worked for seven months, and sardonically referring to himself as ‘unemployed’ in the interview. Instead he has been spending quality time wit his wife Elsa, 46, and three children, daughter India, 10, and twin boys Tristan and Sasha, nine. All pictured

The Hollywood superstar discovered he is genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s last year while he was filming Limitless, a docuseries in which he tested his body’s endurance in a variety of situations.

After having bloodwork done for the program, he was informed he is ‘between eight and 10 times’ likelier to develop Alzheimer’s than the general population, because he is one of only two to three percent of people with two copies of the gene APOE4.

There are steps that people in his position can take to reduce their level of risk, such as ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, curbing their alcohol intake and cutting out cigarettes.

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Read Hemsworth’s interview in full in the latest issue of British GQ magazine