As part of a new challenge to push himself, the Marvel actor decided to learn to play the drums – but when he played in a stadium with pop star Ed Sheeran, he was terrified…

Terrified, sweating and short of breath, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth said playing drums for Ed Sheeran in front of 70,000 people was “the stupidest thing I could have done”. The Australian star, best known for playing a hammer-wielding Norse God, was wielding drum sticks instead as he took to the stage – and he was way out of his comfort zone. He says: “All the fans are going to be watching me destroy an Ed Sheeran classic.”

The scary challenge was part of a bold new mission for Chris, and this time, not in the Marvel world, in the real world. In a thrilling three-part series Limitless: Live Better Now, streaming today (Aug 15) on Disney+, Chris pushes himself further than ever – physically, mentally and emotionally – as he confronts some of life’s most universal challenges: pain, fear and cognitive decline. Determined to discover how we can all live better, Chris dives into three high-stakes challenges that promise real, immediate ways to sharpen our minds and strengthen our bodies.

In the first series, the 42-year-old discovered while filming that he is, biologically, eight to ten times more likely than the average person to develop Alzheimer’s disease because he carries two copies of a certain gene. “That warning sign was further motivation to take care of myself,” he says.

In this second series, filmed across six countries over two years, he climbs a 600-foot Alpine dam, learn the drums to perform live with Ed Sheeran, and endure South Korean Special Forces training. He adds: “I’ve always worked very hard on my physical fitness but I’m realising that I need to put as much work in for my brain as I do for my body. I’m diving head first into cutting edge science to uncover three secrets to living better.”

We see Chris struggling as he first starts to learn the drums, with Ed Sheeran telling him: “I think this might actually be the most difficult thing you do.” Just two months later we see Chris preparing to go on stage in the massive arena in Bucharest, Romania. Chris says: “Of all the stupid things I could have done, this feels like the stupidest. The moment I walk out and see how big that arena is, I’m starting to think ‘I’ve got to get out of here’.”

He adds: “Nervous energy, heart rate, sweaty palms, short of breath, all of that. The reality is kicking in and I’m feeling really terrified. All the fans are going to be watching me destroy an Ed Sheeran classic. It’s one take, one shot. I basically have no musical talent so how did I end up playing drums for one of the biggest pop stars in the world in front of 70,000 people?”

He adds: “This is the first challenge in a journey that will take me all over the world – discovering three powerful secrets to living better right now. Can we supercharge our brains by learning something new? Can we beat pain by reframing? And what benefits are there if we face the things that scare us most? It’s a life-changing mission that will push my mind and my body to the limits.”

Starting in London, where he has some cognitive tests, Chris says: “There are some days when I think my memory is pretty good but there are other days when I think ‘Something’s not firing properly’. I put it down to being overwhelmed by certain things and having too many things on my plate.” He is told that one of the best ways to boost his brain is to learn a new skill, especially a musical instrument, which activates visual, auditory and motor skills all at once.

Of course he decides to play the drums – he’s Thor. And of course he’s mates with Ed Sheeran. There’s a lot of stress but his surprise performance, to the hit Thinking Out Loud, is met with rapturous applause in the stadium. Chris says: “I haven’t ever had 70,000 people staring at me like this. Ed told me to take my headphones out and listen (to the applause). I’ll never forget that moment.”

*Limitless: Live Better Now is now streaming on Disney+

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