Lifestyle Health Celebrity Health Chris Hemsworth Reveals Why Headlines About Having Alzheimer's 'Really Kind of Pissed Me Off' The actor discussed comments about his health in a new interview By Escher Walcott Escher Walcott Escher Walcott is a Writer/Reporter at PEOPLE, covering stories in Entertainment, Style, Human Interest.She joins having written for several popular news publications, including Glamour, Refinery29, NYLON and Evening Standard, discussing the latest fashion trends, pop culture news, and pressing social matters. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 30, 2024 10:25AM EDT Close Chris Hemsworth. Photo: Gregory Harris/Vanity Fair Chris Hemsworth is clearing some things up about his health. While speaking to Vanity Fair, the Australian actor, 40, shared his disappointment over headlines linking news of his genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s with rumors that he was retiring from acting. Hemsworth, who appears as the cover star for the publication’s May issue, told the outlet, “It really kind of pissed me off because it felt like I had been vulnerable with something personal and shared this.” “No matter how much I said, ‘This is not a death sentence,’ the story became that I have dementia and I’m reconsidering life and retiring and so on,” he continued, explaining that he hasn't quit Hollywood. Hemsworth appears on the cover for the 2024 May issue of 'Vanity Fair'. Gregory Harris/Vanity Fair Chris Hemsworth Says Claim He Was Retiring for Health Reasons 'Just Isn't the Case' However, Hemsworth kept his sense of humor about it all and noted, “I did read a really funny comment at the bottom of one article: ‘I hope Chris forgets he’s retiring and comes back.’ ” In a November 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, the actor revealed he underwent genetic testing and learned he has a greater chance of developing Alzheimer's disease while working on his National Geographic docuseries, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth. On the series, the Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga star found out he has two copies of the gene APOE4, which is linked to an increased risk of the disease. As a result, he is eight to 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's in the future. The actor shared updates on his health and career with the publication. Gregory Harris/Vanity Fair Chris Hemsworth Is 'Making Time for Stillness' Since Learning About Increased Risk of Alzheimer's Disease It was reported a year later that Hemsworth was focusing more on “mindfulness work” and “making time for stillness” as he took a brief hiatus from acting, which led to headlines of him retiring from Hollywood altogether. Hemsworth, however, shut down those rumors in June 2023, explaining that he went on hiatus because he was "exhausted, and I wanted to be home with my family." "It was interesting, because those two headlines got coupled together, that I was taking time off because of the genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s," he told Entertainment Weekly at the time. "That experience and that show [Limitless] made me go, 'Oh wow, none of us are invincible.' It kind of slams you into the moment.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "You start asking bigger questions, and you think, 'I need to slow down and just experience this moment now and not have the years race by,’ ” continued Hemsworth, who currently lives with his wife, Elsa Pataky, and their three children in Byron Bay in New South Wales, Australia. He added, "It was a positive in that sense, but it got a little over-dramatized, like I was potentially retiring because of this thing. Which just isn’t the case."