Chris Hemsworth Reflects on That Time He Wanted to Quit Acting

In the new issue, Hemsworth opens up about his early Hollywood days and maintaining his hot body.

Hemsworth has become a household name over the years, but he considered quitting acting after starring in 2009's “Star Trek.” What motivated him to continue acting? He said, “I was about to quit. I always wanted to act, and one of the first things I wanted to do when I got any money was pay my parents' house off.”

“I'd asked Dad once when he thought he'd pay it off and he said, 'Honestly, probably never.' I wanted to change that,” he continued. “So I was super active with auditions. And then my mentality changed, which came from being at a point where I was like, 'I'm going to go back to Australia.' I had one more audition where I was like, 'Do this for his house. Think about reasons other than yourself.' That was for 'The Cabin in the Woods,' and I got that job, and from there I got 'Red Dawn.' And then I got 'Thor.'”

Thanks to movies like “Thor,” audiences have had a chance to check out Hemsworth's chiseled physique. Of the pressure to maintain his figure, Chris said, “It comes hand in hand with the roles I play, but look, occasionally you'll see paparazzi poking out of the bushes and you're like, 'How's my rig look? Am I on point, or have I slacked off lately?' I maintain my fitness because it makes me feel better.”

The 35-year-old, who is married to Elsa Pataky, has become more comfortable with himself over the past 10 years. He explained, “I've stopped trying to go, 'Who do I have to be? What personality do I have to shape in order to succeed?' And just going, 'Truly be yourself.' And that's when things started to change; that's when I felt happier. The real work is, 'Who am I?'”