Hemsworth: Empathy for villains is tricky

Chris Hemsworth recently reflected on the complexities of portraying Dementus, the warlord in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." He admitted that while he doesn't typically blur lines with his characters, defending the actions of a villainous figure presented unique difficulties. The Australian actor described how the character's mindset began to 'infect' his thoughts, requiring him to consciously set it aside during filming.

Hemsworth revealed that the role pushed him to adopt journaling as a practice to delve into Dementus' psyche. He noted that while the character was undeniably ugly and committed horrific acts, including ordering the torture and death of Furiosa's mother, Hemsworth felt compelled to find a way to understand his perspective. He reasoned that from Dementus's viewpoint, his actions were driven by survival.

This was not Hemsworth's first foray into playing antagonists, having previously portrayed Billy Lee in "Bad Times at the El Royale." However, the sheer darkness of Dementus, contrasted with his many heroic turns as Thor, made the "Furiosa" role particularly daunting. He confessed to feeling unprepared and lacking confidence initially but found the experience ultimately rewarding and a significant departure from his usual roles.