Chris Hemsworth shares terrifying footage from 'crazy' plane ride through lightning and severe turbulence

While undergoing genetic testing for the series, the actor learned he carries two copies of the APOE4 gene, which is linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

Shortly after the news was made public in 2022, he took a break from acting. Together, the two bits of news led to rumors that he was retiring, or that he’d already developed the disease, which he said was very upsetting to hear.

“It really kind of p—ed me off because it felt like I had been vulnerable with something personal and shared this,” he admitted in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2024.

“No matter how much I said, ‘This is not a death sentence,’ the story became that I have dementia and I’m reconsidering life and retiring and so on.”

He then joked, “I did read a really funny comment at the bottom of one article: ‘I hope Chris forgets he’s retiring and comes back.’”

Fox News Digital’s Emily Trainham contributed to this post.