Chris Hemsworth recently revealed the difficulties he encountered while learning to play the drums for a live performance alongside singer Ed Sheeran. The Thor actor joined Sheeran on stage during a concert in Bucharest, Romania, in August 2022, where they performed “Thinking Out Loud” to a crowd of 70,000 fans as part of the series Limitless: Live Better Now on National Geographic.
Footage shared by NME highlighted Hemsworth’s struggles with the basic elements of drumming. In a preview clip, he is seen attempting to master a simple beat while finding the task “very, very” challenging. Drumming instructor Ben Jordan commented on his performance, stating, “I’m slowly realising Chris doesn’t have much innate drumming rhythm. It’s pretty hard to find something he’s bad at, but I think we’ve found it.”
Performing live with Sheeran was a profound experience for the 42-year-old actor. During a recent question-and-answer session for the series, Hemsworth described the moment as an “out-of-body experience.” He elaborated, saying, “There’s something about being in unison and in time with, not just a band, but a mass group of people. It felt kind of beyond me at that point. I was just floating along for the ride.”
The challenges of creating the new series follow Hemsworth’s intensive experiences during the first season of Limitless, which he described as emotionally and physically taxing. He admitted, “The first series almost killed me, emotionally and physically. That was by design.” With a second season in mind, Hemsworth and his team discussed potential new themes and scientific topics to explore.
A significant revelation for Hemsworth during the production of Limitless was his genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease. He stated that he is prepared to “embrace death,” believing it is not something that can be avoided. In an interview with the BBC, he reflected, “Suffering comes from denial of our inevitably of death – we all have an expiration date. If you were told you had 200 years guaranteed, you’d become more complacent and reckless. The idea that life can be taken away at any second is a beautiful reminder to appreciate every moment.”
The insights gained from both his performance and his personal health journey underline Hemsworth’s commitment to living life fully, despite the challenges that may arise.
