10 Movies That Prove Liam Hemsworth Is More Than Just an Action Star
His turn as a bubbly goofball in Isn't It Romantic is iconic.
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At this point, when you hear the name Hemsworth, you probably think action movies—and rightly so. Not only is Chris Hemsworth known around the world for his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thor, but his younger brother Liam Hemsworth has made a name for himself in the last decade as well. With roles in The Hunger Games franchise, The Expendables 2, and the Independence Day reboot, he's planted his flag as a big franchise actor. When you're a huge, jacked guy, it looks pretty natural to be in fight scenes, to fly a jet, to wield a crossbow. When you see Liam Hemsworth headlining an action movie, it kind of just feels right, doesn't it?
But Hemsworth the younger is more than just his roles in massive action movies. In recent years he's ventured out, trying on all sorts of genres for size: westerns, comedies, thrillers, you name it. In the next few months, he's not only dabbling in part of Quibi's most exciting launch programming with his role alongside Christoph Waltz in the movie-in-chapters Most Dangerous Game, but he's also appearing in an action/comedy/thriller called Arkansas that looks to once again be playing around with the idea of what genre, and what kind of role Hemsworth can do. Below, we've rounded up a selection of the movie roles our May Men's Health cover guy has found himself in over the last few years.
Most Dangerous Game (2020)
Is it a series? Is it a movie? Who knows, really, but this 'movie-in-chapters' on Quibi is all about Hemsworth being hunted for sport by Christoph Waltz. Does that sound like a top-tier action movie? Yes. Yes it does.
The Hunger Games Series (2012-2015)
Playing the heroic Gale in The Hunger Games series has easily been Hemsworth's biggest and most successful role yet, and he fits in perfectly alongside Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson as one of the franchise's three main heroes. Hemsworth plays his part in all four films, and his earnest nature always feels legitimate. You've probably seen these movies already at this point, but Hemsworth is a big part why The Hunger Games was one of the best franchises in recent memory. The best one is Catching Fire, for what it's worth.
Isn't It Romantic (2019)
Hemsworth got to stretch his comedy muscles in Isn't It Romantic, a really fun meta take on the romantic comedy genre. As an over-the-top businessman who's suddenly smitten with Rebel Wilson's lead character, Hemsworth plays the blissfully unaware (and very attractive) hunk perfectly. Just listening to him in his native tongue saying the word "beguiling" over and over again is glorious.
The Expendables 2 (2012)
One of Hemsworth's earliest action roles came alongside some of the industry's biggest heavy hitters when he played Billy the Kid in The Expendables 2. We're not exaggerating: this movie has basically everyone. Stallone, Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Terry Crews, freaking Chuck Norris (!)—a real wrecking crew of heavy hitters. Hemsworth plays a super-sniper, and fits right in with these old veterans.
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
Hemsworth fills Will Smith's shoes in this 20-years-later sequel to the original Independence Day. Aliens are invading, and he plays a pilot who lost his parents in the alien attack depicted in the first film. Joined by original stars Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman, this movie is just like the original: great to turn your brain off for a couple hours and watch some good old fashioned alien action.
The Last Song (2010)
Yes, this movie is kind of a sappy romance. Yes, it's based on a Nicholas Sparks book (the same guy who wrote The Notebook). But this is also the movie where Hemsworth did two things: introduced himself in a major way to American audiences, and also introduced himself to Miley Cyrus, with whom he shared a 10-year romance (which also included a marriage). This movie is history, people!
Knowing (2009)
Even before The Last Song, Hemsworth had a super brief role in the 2009 Nicolas Cage sci-fi movie Knowing as an MIT student. Yes, you read those words right—Nicolas Cage sci-fi movie—and your gut instinct upon reading them was accurate. This movie is out there and ridiculous and over the top, but guess what—it's also kooky and kind of fun. It's about predicting the future, and stopping disastrous events from happening. Come on, that's one hell of a hook, even if the movie itself is...well, let's say sub-par. And it's got the baby-faced, 20-year-old Liam Hemsworth that you see pictured. What's not to love?
The Duel (2016)
By 2016, Hemsworth had decided to start flexing his way into different movie worlds, and that meant taking a shot at westerns in The Duel. As the lawman, he led the movie, facing off against a villainous town leader played by Woody Harrelson. If you want to see how Hemsworth's Aussie accent fares as an old western cowboy, here's your chance.
Killerman (2019)
In some ways, Killerman sort of feels like a take on John Wick—only starring Hemsworth instead. This is his first stab at a dark, stylistic crime thriller; he plays a money launderer who wakes up with amnesia, a whole lot of money, and some dangerous people on his tail. Lots of violence ensues.
Arkansas (2020)
Arkansas, which will hit Apple, Amazon, On Demand Platforms, Blu-ray and DVD on May 5 , will find Hemsworth heading back to the comedy world. This is a different sort of comedy from what he did in Isn't It Romantic, though—think more an action-comedy, like Raising Arizona or Pineapple Express. Hemsworth and Clark Duke (who you might remember from The Office or Hot Tub Time Machine) make a Twins-esque duo, who run hot and cold in trouble with an Arkansas-based drug lord played by Vince Vaughn. Yeah, that sounds like fun. This movie was originally planned for an in-theater release, but changed plans when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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