Chris Hemsworth took a step back from acting because he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Chris Hemsworth has explained why he took a break

Chris Hemsworth has explained why he took a break

The 39-year-old star previously announced that he was taking some time off after promoting his adventure series 'Limitless', and Chris has now clarified the real motivation behind his acting hiatus.

Chris - who has nine-year-old twins Sasha and Tristan, and India, 11, with his wife Elsa Pataky - told 'Entertainment Tonight': "I wanted to take off because I've been working for ten years, and I've got three kids that I want to spend more time with."

The Hollywood star previously suggested that he was taking a step back from his career, after he discovered that his risk of developing Alzheimer's is eight to ten times higher than the average person.

The actor made the discovery after taking a genetic test for 'Limitless' - but he's now clarified that it wasn't the actual motivation behind his hiatus.

He shared: "Doing that show, each episode resonated in such a way that made me realise how life is just flying by, and I wanted to be still for long periods and more often.

"The information about the predisposition ... allowed me to make all the changes - whether it be nutrition, my training, my mental fitness. Which is the point of the series. The whole point for me was to give people access to tools, knowledge, information on how to live a better, longer, healthier life."

Meanwhile, Chris previously admitted to being unsettled by the news.

He told Vanity Fair: "Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we'll somehow avoid it.

"We all have this belief that we'll figure it out. Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen, the reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality."