Hemsworth has risen to become one of the most recognizable stars in the world, but if Damon hadn’t turned down one role, that may have never happened.
Chris Hemsworth’s career would have been very different if Matt Damon hadn’t turned down one pivotal movie role. During the late 2000s, Damon was one of the biggest actors in Hollywood who likely got his hands on every great screenplay in the entertainment industry. One of those scripts was for James Cameron’s Avatar, which Damon admits was one of the worst mistakes of his acting career. Damon’s commitment to his Jason Bourne character took precedence over other opportunities in Hollywood at that point in his life.
Hemsworth, who was considered an unknown actor during the late 2000s, was one of the few up-and-coming creatives who benefited from one of Damon’s notorious rejections. As a result, the Australian actor has become one of the most well-known action movie stars, with some of Hemsworth’s best movies surprisingly existing outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The celebrated actor might be indirectly indebted to Damon for his enormous amount of success, who essentially paved the way for Hemsworth to become a superstar.
Matt Damon Turning Down Star Trek Triggered Chris Hemsworth’s Hollywood Rise
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Matt Damon famously turned down the role of George Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot movie Star Trek, which paved the way for Hemsworth to take the part instead. Damon was widely rumored to take on the role when the film was initially announced in the late 2000s, but Damon ultimately decided that the part wasn’t right for him. Abrams genuinely wanted Damon in the role of George Kirk, the fictional father of the famous Captain James T. Kirk from the acclaimed Star Trek series.
After Damon turned down the role, Abrams settled with the notion that the film would likely benefit from having a cast of lesser-known actors, avoiding the distraction of having a big-name attachment. Two of those lesser-known actors would turn out to be Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, the latter of which is currently one of the most famous actors on the planet. If Damon had not turned down the role of George Kirk, Hemsworth might have never gotten his big break in Hollywood at the age of 25.
What Would Have Happened To Hemsworth Without Star Trek
Hemsworth has all the characteristics of a Hollywood star that make it seemingly inevitable for him to become a household name. However, if he hadn’t gotten the opportunity to demonstrate his star power as George Kirk in Star Trek, it’s plausible that he might not have gained the experience or confidence required for the coveted role of Thor in 2011. Before Star Trek, Hemsworth had only gained acting notoriety from his role as Kim Hyde in the widely popular Australian television show Home and Away.
Hemsworth was then cast as Curt in the cult classic horror film The Cabin in the Woods, which landed him the leading part in Thor. His career then took off in remarkable ways, appearing as a core member of the Avengers and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as the protagonist in Netflix’s Extraction franchise. If Chris Hemsworth hadn’t been cast in Star Trek, it’s plausible that he would not have emerged in Hollywood quickly enough to become Thor and would be much less of a prominent actor than he is today.