Ryan O’Shea uses this episode of Lifespan News to discuss an upcoming series in which a well-known Marvel actor pushes his limits in real life.
Script
Chris Hemsworth is known all over the world for his portrayal of the Norse God Thor in the Marvel cinematic universe, but unlike the seemingly immortal and eternally young character he’s seen as on screen, Hemsworth is a normal human. Given enough time, he will get old, and he will die – unless he can do something about that. And that’s exactly what he’s trying to do.
Last November we told you that Chris Hemsworth would be starring in Limitless, a new National Geographic documentary series on Disney+ that explores Hemsworth’s quest to improve his health and abilities, and fend off aging to live a longer, healthier life. That teaser trailer and his longevity-focused social media posts received millions of views and likes, showing the demand for and interest in this type of content.
Now with the show premiering on November 16th, we have a more in-depth look at what we can expect on screen – an emotional, funny, and death-defying journey into why and how we may all want to push past our own limits.
This first season will consist of six episodes, each featuring an expert guiding Hemsworth through various physical and mental challenges that force him to push beyond his limits. Through this, we gain insights into how the human body works, and how we may be able to achieve and extend peak performance.
One episode, featuring the well known Doctor Peter Attia, discusses the potential benefits of fasting, with Attia challenging Hemsworth to go four days without food. Other episodes focus on topics such as Memory, Stress, Shock, Strength, and Acceptance.
And if you’re justifiably worried about the parting message of an episode focusing on acceptance, consider that both Hemsworth and Limitless producer and well known film director Darren Aronofsky have publicly expressed their personal interest in extending healthy human lifespans.
In Aronofsky’s 2006 film The Fountain, the character Theo, portrayed by Hugh Jackman, says “Death is a disease. It’s like any other… and there’s a cure…. a cure… and I’ll find it.”
Discussing this dialogue, Aronofsky said “I remember when that line was in the movie, I debated if it was just too crazy of a line to stick in the film and [whether] people would think it was ridiculous. Now, it seems like lots of people are taking it seriously.”
On the growing interest in this topic, Aronofsky said “…suddenly a lot of resources are going into the science of longevity. All the biggest tech companies have all these departments and wings that are looking into it.”
The trailer for Limitless also features Hemsworth exploring his personal reasons for wanting to extend both his healthspan, and his lifespan.
Limitless is now added to a growing list of films, television shows, and media projects related to longevity. This trend is something that is supported by JellyfishDAO, which we discussed in our last video. This decentralized organization seeks to promote scientific advancements by supporting relevant media projects. Learn more about that initiative, and how you can get involved, in the video description.
When Limitless drops, we’ll be watching. Will you? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe for more.
I’m Ryan O’Shea, and we’ll see you next time on Lifespan News!
