Getting and maintaining the body of a Norse God isn’t easy — unless you’re Chris Hemsworth. The Australian actor’s longtime stunt double Bobby Holland Hanton recently spoke to Us Weekly about training with Hemsworth on the set of Avengers: Age Of Ultron and previous blockbuster flicks.
“We both train twice a day and eat about eight meals a day when we’re getting into Thor shape,” says Hanton, who also works out with Hemsworth’s on-set trainer and childhood friend Luke Zocchi. “It sounds fun, but eventually you start to really hate food.”
Hemsworth, who is naturally athletic, usually puts on about 20 pounds of muscle for the Marvel franchise. “When we’re about to start an Avengers movie he’ll come into the gym for the first time looking really tough, I’ll ask him how many times he trained and he’ll tell me he hasn’t touched a weight in days. It’s ridiculous,” Hanton tells Us. Though currently filming Huntsmen, the sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, Hemsworth is expected to return to the The Avengers for Thor: Ragnarok, releasing 2017 followed by Avengers: Infinity War.
How does Hemsworth, 31, mix up his workout? He kickboxes with his action hero wife Elsa Pataky (a franchise starlet herself thanks to her roles in the Fast & Furious films), who travels with him (along with kids India, 3, and twins Sasha and Tristan, 13 months.) to various filming locations when she’s not shooting. “They’re a great couple and so attractive, it’s kind of annoying to look at them,” Hanton jokes.
Playing Thor isn’t all about biceps, however: It’s also about those luxurious blonde locks, which Hanton does not have, though some paparazzi shots would suggest otherwise.
“It’s a wig, and sometimes I have to wear it for 14 hours in a day,” says Hanton, who makes use of Dove Men+Care products – he’s a spokesman – like the Deep Clean Body & Face Bar to smell good around the likes of Scarlett Johansson and Elizabeth Olsen.
Refreshingly, at the end of the long work day, Hemsworth is as laid back as he appears to be, Hanton confirms. “I’m lucky to count him among my good friends, he loves to go down to the pub after a long day of work and just have a pint with the guys,” he tells Us.
