“I don’t mind going outside my comfort zone, but this was another level,” global superstar Chris Hemsworth, known for playing Thor in Marvel’s Avengers franchise, told TV Guide Magazine about shooting Season 2 of the investigative series Limitless: Live Better Now, in which he braves thrilling, high-stakes situations to test methods for living a longer, healthier life.
Three themed episodes were filmed across six countries over two years. In “Brain Power,” he learns to play the drums for a live performance with singer Ed Sheeran in Bucharest; in “Risk,” the actor scales a nearly 600-foot climbing wall in the Swiss Alps; and in “Pain,” he joins special forces training in South Korea. Hemsworth gets feedback from a returning expert, renowned palliative care physician Dr. B.J. Miller. He also meets new faces like freestyle motocross legend Robbie Maddison; cognitive scientist Maya Shankar; free solo climber and wingsuiter Steph Davis; and neuroscientist Abigail Marsh.
Here, the actor reflects on his quest to make all of us sharper and stronger.
Are you a real-life superhero now?
Chris Hemsworth: Not at all. This was about diving into my fears and insecurities. This season was more of an introspective personal journey. I had more perspective around the subjects and [did] research. It was challenging, but I felt like I had something to offer rather than standing there like an imposter.
‘Limitless’ with Chris Hemsworth Season 2
National Geographic/Laura Radford
Which experience would you repeat?
The drumming in front of 70,000 people with Ed Sheeran. I want the feeling I had once the song kicked in and I was on the beat and in time, and for the next hour or two after, this endorphin kick and lightness. It was a somewhat out-of-body experience. I felt this incredible connection: 70,000 people and you’re all experiencing the same wonderful journey. But to get to that again, I would have to also confront the tremendous amount of fear and the preparation.
Right, you had never played drums before! One big takeaway from that episode was how learning a new skill helps memory and cognitive function. Have you kept on drumming?
I planned on it! We have a drum kit. As soon as I go in, the kids come in and take over. Like most things, once you have children, they dominate the space.
Your children’s carefree way of playing outdoors inspired the “Risk” episode. Are you still finding that state or “flow” you achieved on that dizzying Alpine climb?
Like everything, it ebbs and flows. The kids are a constant reminder of living in the moment and diving headfirst into new experiences with boundless enthusiasm — which is difficult as a parent to manage at times. In a fun and adventurous way, it’s addictive. To keep up with them, I embrace the experiences I might’ve sat on the sidelines and watched.
You didn’t sit on the sidelines in “Pain.” Your special forces training included getting electrocuted and pepper-sprayed. Why put yourself through that?
Because I’ve struggled with issues with my back and back pain for years, since I was 15. And if someone was going to offer up a solution, I was onboard, whether or not it would mean I’d have to stimulate some more pain to get there. I’m now being a little gentle with myself and having more compassion for the pain and looking at it as, this is my body trying to protect me and saying, “Hey, just go gentle today,” rather than what I had done for years, which was try and stifle that and compress it and remove it and avoid it and deny it.
Chris Hemsworth in ‘Limitless’ Season 2
National Geographic/Laura Radford
Who was a memorable person you met?
MMA fighter Stun Gun [Kim Dong-hyun]. He said when he fought in the UFC, there was a difference between the pain when you win or lose. There’s glorious pain — when he would win, it didn’t matter if he’d broken his nose or arm; he would embrace it. If he lost, the smallest injuries, a scratch, would hurt. I took from that it’s how you choose to label the pain. He won and he lost, but ultimately it was his perspective.
How will you carry this series into your next acting role?
All the experiences in life, on a set, in this documentary, add to the toolbox. The more I know about me, the more I can understand about a character. This experience forced me to confront and think about things I would’ve avoided. New adventures add layers when creating a character that help build something authentic and truthful.
Limitless: Live Better Now, Season 2 Premiere, Friday, August 15, on Disney+ and Hulu, and Monday, August 25, on National Geographic
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