While promoting Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Hemsworth opened up about playing Dementus, a violent warlord who terrorizes the Wasteland. Speaking on the On Purpose podcast with host Jay Shetty, the actor admitted he sometimes went a little too far in defending his character.
Hemsworth joked that no one complains when he praises heroes like Thor or Eric the Huntsman. “But you start defending a mass murderer,” he said, “and suddenly it’s, ‘Chris, stop talking!’”
Getting inside a dangerous mind
Dementus may not be the main villain of the film like Immortan Joe, but his actions are brutal. The character takes part in murder, human trafficking, and psychological torture. Still, Hemsworth said his job as an actor required him to understand why the character behaves the way he does.
To do that, Hemsworth began journaling — a habit he picked up specifically for this role. He said Dementus stayed in his thoughts even when he was working on other films, to the point where he had to consciously step away from the character.
“On paper and on screen, he’s a pretty ugly, villainous individual,” Hemsworth said. “But I had to find a way to understand and empathize with his position.”
A villain who thinks he’s the hero
In the film, Dementus initially appears as a father-like figure to a young Furiosa, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. That illusion shatters when he orders the brutal torture and death of Furiosa’s mother — right in front of her.
Even so, Hemsworth explained that Dementus sees himself as the hero of his own story. From the character’s point of view, his actions are about survival in a cruel world.
“Each day was a deep dive into his psyche,” Hemsworth said. “What looks horrific from one angle makes sense to him and his people. In his mind, it’s survival of the fittest.”
A frightening but rewarding challenge
Although Hemsworth has played villains before — including cult leader Billy Lee in Bad Times at the El Royale — Dementus felt different. After playing Thor more than a decade across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stepping into such a chaotic and cruel role was intimidating.
In a 2024 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hemsworth admitted the part initially “scared the s--- out of me.” He said he felt unsure and lacked the confidence he usually has when starting a project.
But once the journaling, hair, and makeup came together, something clicked.
In the end, Hemsworth said Furiosa became a refreshing change — a chance to break away from heroic roles and explore something truly uncomfortable.
“It was a real departure,” he said. “And it was nice.”
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