It's hard to imagine Thor without Chris Hemsworth, but the actor almost didn't play the beloved superhero because of his stint with Dancing With the Stars. Hemsworth first took on the mantle of the God of Thunder in 2011, being the first superhero introduced following the success of Iron Man. Thor became a huge box office hit and also launched Tom Hiddleston into the Marvel fold as Thor's adopted brother, Loki, the God of Mischief.

Hemsworth reprised his role in the succeeding Avengers films and two solo sequels: 2013's Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok (2017). The superhero's long journey in the MCU has developed a complex character who has gone through valiant adventures paired with tragic losses. After Avengers: Endgame, Thor joins the Guardians of the Galaxy and leaves New Asgard in the hands of Valkyrie. His story continues as Hemsworth is set to suit up for a fourth film, Thor: Love and Thunder, scheduled to be released in 2022.

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While Hemsworth's career has been synonymous with the Asgardian god and superhero, the actor's appearance on Dancing With the Stars Australia almost cost him the iconic role. In an interview with PopCulture, celebrity choreographer Derek Hough revealed that Hemsworth was newly cast as the next big Marvel superhero when the studio's execs saw a video of their Thor prospect dancing the Samba in the reality show. Back then, Hemsworth was already making a name for himself in Australia, but he was still relatively unknown in Hollywood. Hough said:

"[Chris Hemsworth] was on Dancing With the Stars in Australia, and he's dancing the samba and they literally cast him — or they were gonna cast him — and I think people called and said, 'Yo have you seen him dancing the Samba? This cannot be our Thor.'"

Hemsworth guested on Dancing With the Stars Australia in 2006 and went on to bag fifth place. While this was five years before Thor would be released, Marvel bosses saw an old video of Hemsworth's dance number and second-guessed their casting. The studio's initial hesitation about Hemsworth's image isn't without merit. After all, Thor Odinson was known both in the comics and Norse mythology to be a strong, powerful god worthy of his famous hammer.

Hemsworth may have put his Dancing With the Stars days behind him, but his dancing skills ultimately came in handy for Thor. It definitely trained the actor to be swift and nimble for many of the film's difficult stunt choreography. Having played the mighty superhero for a decade and seven movies, the 37-year-old actor more than proved that he is the perfect choice for the role. Ten years on and Thor still has an integral part to play in the post-Endgame MCU as one of the remaining original members of the Avengers. With Thor: Love and Thunder expected to premiere next year, Hemsworth's days as the hammer-wielding Thor are far from over.

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Source: PopCulture