Chris Hemsworth revealed he moved his family from Los Angeles back to Australia partly because the film industry in California has significantly slowed down. The Thor actor discussed how returning home felt like a refreshing break during his appearance on the SmartLess podcast with hosts Jason Bateman and Will Arnett.
Reasons Behind The Move: Lifestyle and Industry Challenges
Hemsworth explained that around the time his children were born, the family’s life in Los Angeles became less appealing as film projects shifted elsewhere, leaving little local production.
“It was right around the time my boys were born, and it was just, we kind of were set up in L.A. and not enjoying it, you know? Like, nothing was shooting there. We were filming kind of everywhere else,”
he said.
The rising trend of movie productions relocating to states and countries offering better tax incentives caused the decline of filming activity in California. Hemsworth emphasized that moving back to Australia turned out to be the best decision he has made.
“You’d come home and paparazzi and all the sort of the trappings of, you know, living in that space,”
he noted, referring to the pressures of celebrity life in Los Angeles.
Embracing Australian Life: Space, Nature, and Family Time
The actor also shared how life in Los Angeles forced his family into close proximity with neighbors, which contrasted sharply with their current rural lifestyle back home. Hemsworth described coming back to their Australian home as a true retreat.
“You know when you come back from work, you wanna go on a holiday? Like, coming home for me is — it feels like a holiday. We have a big farm and horses and motorbikes and surf,”
he said.
This connection to nature is something Hemsworth deeply appreciates, reflecting on his own childhood surrounded by Australia’s bushland and rainforest. He credited those outdoor experiences with sparking his passion for acting.
“It was just all bush land and rainforest sort of set up around us,”
he recalled.
“And so we would just [have] … outdoors adventures and playing different characters. And I think that’s, to be honest, where the sort of intrigue or interest into that transportation into another.”
Industry Impact and Political Response to Filming Shifts
With the U.S. film industry losing some of its former dominance, political figures have responded with proposals to protect domestic productions. Former President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on films produced outside the United States to encourage production within California.
“California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit!”
Trump stated in September 2025.
“Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States.”
The evolving landscape of movie production and tax incentives continues to influence where actors like Hemsworth choose to live and work, underscoring how industry economics can shape personal life decisions. As Hemsworth’s example shows, returning home has not only offered professional benefits but also a better quality of life for his family.
