Chris Hemsworth Won 'Dads Race' for Daughter’s Sake & Hides behind Tree Picking Up 3 Kids from School

Chris Hemsworth plays Thor, fans' beloved Marvel character, but his heroism is not limited to film. The actor is a proud father of three kids and he has proven he was born to be a father even before he had them. Here's a look at his fatherhood journey.

Chris Hemsworth is one attractive actor. His appearance, including his blue eyes, captivating smirk, and toned physique, always matches perfectly with his archetypal leading man roles.

Since becoming the hammer-wielding Norse god in the "Thor" films, he has earned a string of stereotypical roles, all showing him as the hero. Thankfully, the actor is gifted with bringing whatever character he plays to life.

While Hemsworth is the daring god to Thor fans, his best role of all time is as a father to his three kids, says his actress wife of more than one decade, Elsa Pataky.

The pair met in Los Angeles in 2010, and instantly, she noticed that her future husband was a man mature for his age. But there was another thing. She said:

"I could totally feel that he loved kids. And it's something that just melts you, as a woman."

That same year, the duo exchanged their wedding vows. This was an unusual move at the time, as there was a belief that a rising star must be potentially single. Still, it turned out to be the best decision of their lives. The Hollywood couple has remained glued to each other for over a decade while raising their three kids.

Somehow, Pataky is not the only one who finds her husband's commitment to children impressive. Hemsworth's co-star in "The Huntsman," Jessica Chastain, who keeps a relatively private profile with her Italian husband and two kids, believes the actor's love for family is charming. She recalled:

"Chris Hemsworth was devastated when he didn't make it home for bedtime. It was the sweetest thing — he was so sad if we were going over because his kids were always asleep when he got home."

Chastain explained that while shooting "The Huntsman," her colleague tirelessly mentioned how much he missed his kids, and she thought, "We should get to the place where men are able to admit that, and society sees it as a strength."

Hemsworth has been very vocal about his fatherhood journey without needing a license from society. However, there are times when he prefers not to be noticed when out with his kids.

While on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" show, Natalie Portman, his co-star in "Thor: Love and Thunder," revealed that he once hid behind the trees to avoid attention during school pickup.

The actress shared that their kids attended the same school in Australia while filming "Thor." And while she could easily blend in the crowd while picking up her kids, her co-star's distinct frame and fame in his home country made it impossible for him to enjoy the same anonymity. In her words:

"He comes in, he's like a Greek god walking through. He's really famous everywhere but especially in Australia, he's so, so well-known. So to see him kind of by the tree, hiding, it felt like some weird sitcom of the superheroes at school pickup."

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky Were Excited about Parenthood

Two years into their marriage, Hemsworth and his wife decided to welcome their first child. However, the couple refrained from knowing the gender and only hoped to have a healthy baby.

In a refreshingly honest tone, the "Fast Five" actress, who revealed earlier that their first year of marriage was a continuous honeymoon, noted, "Chris and I are ecstatic, very happy, and excited."

Alongside these core morals, the Australian-born hopes to raise consciously aware kids by limiting his phone use.

As they got ready for a delivery surprise, the then-expectant dad wanted to be fully equipped to be the most extraordinary parent. Hemsworth began to learn Spanish after his Spanish wife warned him they would only communicate with their child in the language. Pataky claimed:

"I'm only going to speak to the baby in Spanish. I already told my husband, 'Get ready fast with Spanish because, if not, you're not going to be able to understand what we say.'"

Pataky also made some changes, thanks to her pregnancy. The actress explained that her first pregnancy lured her to consume hamburgers, French fries, and popcorn.

Despite the pregnancy cravings, two years after the birth of their firstborn, a daughter, India Rose, Pataky became pregnant again. This time, the couple welcomed twin sons, Tristan and Sasha.

When speaking about his fatherhood journey, Hemsworth mentioned parenting his three kids opened him to a world of emotions. According to the onscreen superhero:

"It feels like I have six. They're non-stop, active kids. The biggest thing I've learned by having kids is that now I know what love is... I know the full gamut of emotions... I feel I had just scratched the surface prior."

What Fatherhood with Three Kids Feels Like to Chris Hemsworth

Even though Hemsworth's school pick-up included hiding by the tree to avoid attention, he still supports his kids publicly. In 2018, the "Extractor" star joined other dads to race in his daughter's school during a sporting event.

After watching India participate in the 100 and 200 meters sprint of the egg-spoon race, he egged her on by advising that races are not all about winning.

However, in his jeans and boots, Hemsworth was determined to make his daughter proud by showcasing his speed and agility. The actor admitted that he had not run in years, but that did not deter him from vying for the first position among fourteen other dads. In his words:

"Here I am telling my daughter that winning is not important, but there's no way I'm losing this race. I literally hadn't sprinted that much in 12 years, but all I could think of was I've got to win this for my daughter."

Eventually, he emerged as the winner and was overwhelmed by the victory. However, India did not witness the moment. Hemsworth revealed:

"My daughter comes over and goes, 'Dad, did you win?' I'm like 'what do you mean, did I win? Did you even see it?'"

Even though his convincing victory went unnoticed by the one he represented, the "Thor" actor has remained a loving father, willing to bask in his fatherhood.

The Hollywood star is very public with how he balances work and family. These two worlds never clash, but he makes enough time to be in both worlds.

Regarding fatherhood, the Hollywood star is very public about balancing work and family. Interestingly, parenting never stops in the confines of his home. Hemsworth enjoys his kids' company and treasures moments when they are on set with him.

For his latest marvel appearance in "Thor: Love and Thunder," the proud dad acted alongside his kids. India portrayed the character, Love, while one of her brothers played a young version of Thor. They were not the only celebrity kids on set, as they were joined by actors Christian Bale, Portman, and director Taika Waititi's kids.

After filming, Hemsworth maintained that it was a fun moment. Although the kids showed excitement initially during filming, they grew bored with the process. Yet, the father-of-three tagged it a "really cool" experience, adding that "they really wanted to be in it."

While he allows them to experience acting, Hemsworth and his wife are particular about the values they instill in their tiny minions. He explained that they raise them to appreciate and respect things instead of feeling special.

Alongside these core morals, the Australian-born hopes to raise consciously aware kids by limiting his attention to phone use. At home, he schedules a few hours to get on the phone but spends more time with his eyes on his brood.

Additionally, the "Thor" star admitted that he filters his roles and chooses which to accept, especially when it involves being far away from his family or unable to take them to the location.

Although the movie star is committed to acting, he prioritizes his kids over his talent, and being present is one way to ensure that they notice it. This includes being creative —spending time with them exploring outdoors. In his words:

"My dream would be for them to talk about me as a parent one day and say that he was always there, he played with us, he was present, he listened, he paid attention."

These days, Hemsworth is slowing down on the roles after deciding to take some time off. This was influenced by his love for family and also a health diagnosis (his genes possess an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease).