Chris Hemsworth cast as Thor?
Nikki Finke breaks the rumor:
Chris Hemsworth, a virtual unknown to American audiences, had just been approved to play the lead role in Thor
by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and the film’s director Kenneth
Branagh. Hemsworth can currently be seen as “George Kirk” in J.J.
Abrams’ Star Trek reboot and also just snagged the lead in Red Dawn for United Artists last Thursday. (He’s currently filming Joss Whedon’s horror flick Cabin In The Woods
for UA, and I heard the studio was so hot on him that’s why it cast
Hemsworth in the action pic.) The 25-year-old hunk played “Kim Hyde” on
171 episodes of Home and Away, the successful Oz TV series where Heath Ledger started. Marvel Studios has scheduled Thor
for a May 20, 2011, release. The way Chris Hemsworth got the part of
Thor is one of those great Hollywood stories that happens only once in
a blue moon.
She goes on to explain how he (allegedly) got the part:
[ROAR Management partner William Ward] had
found Chris during one of the manager’s many scouting trips to
Australia. Ward brought him to Los Angeles and really put him out there
to casting directors and production executives. As for the major
agencies, I hear CAA passed on the meeting, Endeavor took it but passed
on repping him, and ICM was interested but dragged their feet. But
Ilene Feldman understood his appeal immediately.Chris
had read for the part of Thor but wasn’t given a test because a casting
director had nixed him early on. I’m told Chris’ younger brother Liam
(who’s also a ROAR client) then tested for the role of Thor, but Marvel
Studios President Kevin Feige passed. Then, after a conversation with
Ward (“You’ve got to reconsider Chris, he’s your guy”), Feige decided
to let Chris read again. And once Marvel put him on tape, it was “Oh my
god”. Branagh came to town last week and saw the Chris test and made
the final casting decision today.What a week for Chris since, on Thursday, UA picked him as the Red Dawn
lead. Brother Liam, who’s only been in Los Angeles for 3 weeks and
doesn’t even have an agent yet, just got cast the male lead in Last Song
opposite Miley Cyrus in the Disney film based on the Nicholas Sparks
novel. Both brothers live in William Ward’s guest house. Unreal!
I thought he was great as George Kirk in Star Trek— short scene, but very powerful.
Seriously? He realy does not have the mighty presence or the mass to be playing the norse god of thunder. I am supposed to believe this guy can weild mjolnir? Why dont they get someone like Vladamir Kulich (the guy who played wulvi in 13th warrior) or some other actor with the look, voice, and presence to play a norse god. Someone who looks scandinavian might be nice.