10 Blockbuster Actors Who Seemingly Came From Nowhere

Chris Hemsworth: Thor – Thor (2011)

By now, most forms of bacteria are probably familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe – the series of movies and characters that have over the last few years appeared so quickly and in such volume that Kevin Feige could well be hiding a despotic plan for actual world domination. There is good reason behind Marvel’s multi-phase project, however.

Whereas Marvel favourites Spiderman and the X-Men had been licensed to Columbia and Fox respectively, Marvel retained the sole rights to the main members of The Avengers.  With all the characters having their own movies, and then being brought together in movies featuring the collective, this was an opportunity to create an onscreen version of the traditionally interlinking comic books of the 1960s and 1970s. Or, in other words, an opportunity to make a lot of movies.

Marvel began collecting its Avengers in 2008, with Iron Man. It roped in The Incredible Hulk in the same year, then Black Widow in 2010 during Iron Man’s second outing. The final moments of Iron Man 2 also alluded to who was next on the list. With the taking over of Earth nicely underway, it was time for Marvel to turn its attention to other worlds. It was time to recruit Thor.

Kenneth Branagh was confirmed early on as Thor’s director, but Thor himself may as well have been on another planet, for all the issues the movie’s makers were having with the casting. Daniel Craig reportedly turned down the role, and Josh Hartnett was also been considered,  but from the very beginning Branagh had really wanted an unknown in the role. The movie’s release date was delayed again and again, but finally a short list was compiled, consisting of Charlie Hunnam, Alexander Skarsgard, Tom Hiddleston – and Liam Hemsworth.

In 2007, on the conveyer belt of good-looking actors that is Australian soap-land (in this case Home and Away), scouting agent William Ward had discovered another Hemsworth, this one a Chris. Although unfortunately not quite in time to prevent Chris from doing a stint on Dancing with the Stars Australia, Ward whisked him to America and within six weeks he was auditioning. He landed several roles, but in titles that weren’t to be released until later –  his only notable onscreen appearance before Thor would be as George Kirk in the opening ten minutes of Star Trek in 2009. He read for Thor alongside his younger brother Liam, but wasn’t called back.

Chris was shooting The Cabin in the Woods when producer Joss Whedon (who had designs on The Avengers) thought he’d point out the blindingly obvious. This was that what with his combination of flaxen hair, Adonis-like physique and just-this-side-of-masculine pretty face, Chris Hemsworth was, essentially, a god. Whedon called Branagh and the elder Hemsworth was put forward again. And that, as they say, was that. The Asgardian God of Thunder had a face, the legendary hammer Mjolnir had an owner, and Liam Hemsworth was out of a job (we can only imagine how that next family meal went.) Tom Hiddleston, of course, went on to play Thor’s charmingly certifiable adoptive brother, Loki.

Chris Hemsworth has since proved himself to be more than just a god (see especially his portrayal of James Hunt in 2013’s Rush.) But at the moment, and for the next ten years (he is contracted for a third Thor, as well as two Avengers sequels), he will continue to be Thor almost more than he is Chris Hemsworth. There is a distinct possibility that within a few years Hemsworth will be banned from any DIY, for fear he’ll chuck the hammer at someone.