A Low-Key Proposal and a Deep Connection
Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky may be an A-list couple, but their engagement story is anything but dramatic. In a recent interview with Nova’s Fitzy, Wippa & Kate, the 42-year-old actor shared how his proposal to his wife, Elsa, 49, was more of a casual agreement than a grand romantic gesture.
“We talked about getting married before I even asked her to get married,” Chris admitted, adding, “It was like, ‘Yeah, why not, why not?’ So that kind of takes the air of the build-up.” He laughed, describing the energy as, “Why not? I’ve got nothing better at the moment, we’ll see how it goes.”
Despite the low-key approach, Chris revealed that he had hidden the ring inside a box of chocolates. “I had it in my hand, in my pocket, and I thought, I’ve got to do something cool with it. This is about as creative as I got, I put it in a chocolate box,” he explained.
The couple, who share three children, have a strong bond that has only grown over the years. Their relationship began in early 2010 after being introduced by a talent agent. They quickly moved forward, marrying in December of that same year. The pair relocated from the US in 2015 and now live in a $50m mansion in Byron Bay with their children: India Rose, 13, and 11-year-old twin sons, Sasha and Tristan.
In a recent interview with PEOPLE, the couple gave a rare glimpse into their idyllic coastal lifestyle. “We got a big plot of land, a farm with horses, and our kids surf and fish and ride motorbikes all day,” they said. Elsa added that she treasures the family’s connection to nature, explaining, “It’s just being able to enjoy nature. When we go to a city, it’s hard for us as a family, because we live outside, basically. We are in contact with nature all the time.”
A Personal Documentary and a Love Letter to His Father
Chris recently opened up about his documentary, A Road Trip To Remember, which follows him and his father, Craig, 70, as they revisit his childhood homes across Australia. The film was created after Craig’s diagnosis with early-stage Alzheimer’s, making it a deeply personal project for the actor.
The documentary came as a follow-up to his 2022 docuseries Limitless, where Chris learned he had two copies of the APOE4 gene, increasing his risk of developing the disease by eight to ten times. In a new interview with The Guardian, Chris admitted that releasing the emotional documentary was challenging.
“I wondered if I was letting people too far in. Are they no longer going to believe in the action star or the Marvel character? And do I want people to know my fears and insecurities to this level?” he said.
However, despite the difficulty, Chris sees the film as one of the most important things he’s ever made. “It was so deeply personal. It was a love letter to my father. It empowered him for a period, and stimulated memories that were being taken away from him.”
He also shared that many people battling Alzheimer’s have reached out to him, expressing how they want their children to see the film. The experience has also changed Chris’s perspective on his career, allowing him to slow down and focus more on family.
“My appetite for racing forward has really been reined in,” he said. “I’ve become more aware of the fragility of things. You start thinking, ‘My dad won’t be here for ever.’ And my kids are now 11 and 13. Those nights where they’d fight over sleeping in our bed – suddenly they’re not happening any more.”
