Kenneth Branagh and Chris Hemsworth go big for an 'epic'‘Thor’
How do the director and actor adjust to the huge scale of the gods?
Chris Hemsworth
Credit: AP Photo/Dan Steinberg
When Kenneth Branaugh was set to direct Marvel comic-based “Thor,” the first move he made was to cast its title character. Speaking to HitFix at San Diego's Comic-Con 2010 last weekend, the veteran thespian and director knew precisely what kind of actor he wanted in mind for the auditions: “It had to be somebody we hadn’t seen before… and somebody needed to walk into the room and be prepared to work out and be a sensitive actor at the same time."
He “struck gold” with Aussie Chris Hemsworth – though, perhaps, very nearly did the same with Hemsworth’s brother Liam. Both men had auditioned for Thor, but then it “didn’t go any further" initially for Chris. Hemsworth the Younger, on the other hand, was actually flown out from Australia to meet with casting shortly after his audition.
“I was as excited as I was secretly angry,” Chris laughed. The casting process went on. Both were in the running but in the end it was just Chris. He said that he and his brother gave each other feedback all along the way.
Meanwhile, as Hemsworth built up body mass, Branagh had been sorting what to do with such a big budget for a film.
“If you have an idea, if you have inspiration and if the creativity is flowing, it’s possible for it to be expressed and encouraged. It all costs money and, at some point, you have to have difficult conversations in that way, but basically, the prime thing is: ‘How can we make this the best it can be, on a scale that it needs to have and at an intense pitch?’” he said, adding that part of the pitch was to “deliver a spectacle -- not only in the execution of visual effects, but also in the concept of visual effects, really trying to push the envelope.”
Part of the appeal of “Thor” to Branagh was that larger-than-life magnitude of production, which the story itself demands. “I definitely had a passion for Thor. I didn’t have a huge history with the comic books, but I loved what this story represented. I loved its epic scale, the color, the grandeur of it, the fact that it traveled across space, all the vivid contrasts in the runs of the comics, and the blood and guts of it. And, paradoxically, there is a great human story at the center of a story about Gods.”
Keeping the film to the “Marvel look” and feel was not only important for fans of the “Thor” comic, but for avid “Avengers” fans as well. Branagh says, “An important thing we wanted to do at Comic-Con is show how ‘Thor’ fits into ‘The Avengers’ world. It can live there, but it also brings a pretty exotic thing that is going to be much more present in the film.”
Hemsworth hasn’t seen a script yet for Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers” but the key to acting in it will have everything to do with personnel.
He notes, “The key to acting is… hopefully you’ve got someone across from you that’s going to give you something to react to. All day, throws it at you.”
Read about what co-star Anthony Hopkins had to throw at Hemsworth in our video report here.
Check out what Thor rival Loki (Tom Hiddleston) had to say about his character and Branagh here.
Check out what Thor rival Loki (Tom Hiddleston) had to say about his character and Branagh here.
"Thor" opens nationwide and in 3-D on May 5, 2011.
News From Our Partners
-
Selena Gomez Is All Grown Up in Sexy 'Forbes' Photoshoot (PHOTOS)
PHOTOS: 'Before They Were Famous' Soap Opera Hair
Michelle Obama To Appear On 'The Daily Show' With Jon Stewart
-
Kristen Stewart's 'On The Road': Cannes Reviews Are In!
Charlize Theron Prefers 'Angular Nudity' To Full-Frontal
Will Smith Laughs Off Kissing-Reporter Incident
-
The Dandy Warhols Celebrate 18 Years Together
Lady Gaga Turns Yellow For The Simpsons
Dance Music Vocalist Susana Releasing New Album
-
Cannes 2012: Critics Scorecard
24 Frames: The Films of Wes Anderson
Trailer: Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby
-
The Telefile - Today's TWoP News: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The Telefile - TV on DVD: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The Telefile - The Cancelled 2011-12 TV Shows We'll Miss the Least
-
'Anchorman 2': Why Will Ferrell Made The Announcement On 'Conan'
Kristen Stewart's 'Snow White' Message To Girls: 'Don't Be A Vain Idiot'
Kristen Stewart 'On The Road' Sex Scenes: Topless More Than Taylor Lautner
-
Brandi Glanville Claims She Hooked Up With Gerard Butler
Charlie Sheen Talks Ladies – Onscreen & Off
Jonah Hill ‘Overwhelmed’ By ‘Moneyball’ Supporting Actor Nomination
-
Tolerability Index: This week we're barely putting up with Veep and Girls
Interview: Milk’s Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black on directing Jennifer Connelly and kinky Mormons
My World Of Flops: Bonfire Of The Vanity Projects Case File #16: Give My Regards To Broad Street and Magical Mystery Tour
Comments
Option 1
Comment instantly as a guest GuestOption 2
Option 3
Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupDavid Scholes
July 28, 2010 at 8:18AM EST Reply to CommentChris Hemsworth and also Anthony Hopkins are certainly looking the part now.
Things are looing good for Thor 2011.
As an Aussie science fiction writer I’ve been a Marvel Thor fan since the original Journey into Mystery of August 1962.
If you get a chance check out some of my Marvel (mainly Thor) fan fiction. Just scroll down below my author profile and you will see over 40 fan fiction stories here:
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1276881/David_Scholes
Maybe also check out my new novella. Only just released as an e-book on Xlibris and also now available in Kindle edition on Amazon: www.xlibris.com/SoldieroftheBrell.html
Cheers