Chris Hemsworth might be best known for swinging a hammer as the Norse god of thunder in “Thor: Ragnarok,” but when it comes to being a dad, he’s just as legendary. The 35-year-old actor and father-of-three had a standout parenting moment that proves he’s more than just a superhero on screen.
It started with a curious question from his daughter
In a 2015 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hemsworth shared a story that starts with his daughter, 4-year-old India, having a very specific question about anatomy—and ends with a beautiful message about identity and acceptance.
"My daughter's kind of envious of my boys. She came to me the other day, and she's like 'You know, Papa, I want one of those things that Sasha and Tristan have.'"
— Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth on a panel at Comic Con, described by one co-star as "not very good looking". upload.wikimedia.org
Hemsworth handled it like a champ
At first, Hemsworth was a little confused by what India meant. But when she clarified, things got hilariously real.
"I'm like, 'What do you mean?' She said, 'You know the things in between their legs that you have.'"
— Chris Hemsworth
A parenting moment with humor and heart
What followed was a parenting win that had Ellen—and her audience—laughing and cheering. Hemsworth calmly and kindly explained the biological differences between boys and girls, but India wasn’t deterred.
"She goes, 'I really want one!' I'm like, 'A penis?' And she's like, 'I want a penis!'"
— Chris Hemsworth
Love and acceptance, straight from the playground
Instead of making it weird or shutting down the conversation, Hemsworth kept his cool and offered the kind of support every kid deserves.
"She's four and I'm like, 'You know what, you can be whatever you want to be,'" he recalled. India responded with a quick "Thanks, Dad," and then ran off to the playground like it was no big deal. But the moment left a big impression.
This is the parenting we all need
This tiny exchange packs a punch—it’s funny, endearing, and progressive. Hemsworth didn’t make it about gender roles or reinforce binaries. He simply accepted his daughter’s curiosity and met it with love, openness, and support. And in doing so, he modeled exactly the kind of parenting the world needs more of.
Not everyone gets parenting right in the moment, especially when caught off guard. But Hemsworth showed that when you lead with kindness and trust your kid’s voice, magical things can happen.
So the next time your child asks a tough question, channel your inner Thor—minus the hammer—and meet them with honesty, humor, and heart.
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