Damn red carpet i Cannes, home to Australia and back to Hollywood. Movie star Chris Hemsworth is currently keeping track of his priorities.

I'm basically a pretty laid back surfer guy. I feel most comfortable by the ocean, close to the waves.

SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS things in life that make you shift your focus, stop and think about what is important – really. A few years ago, after many successful years in Hollywood and with over 25 film roles to his credit, Chris Hemsworth, best known as Thor in Avengers – the movies, that he was being swallowed up by the Hollywood carousel. It was time to break up and move to Australia. – I wanted to move from Los Angeles for several reasons, Chris Hemsworth said recently in an interview with Vanity Fair. Partly, I wanted to live closer to my parents and I wanted to give my children a safer upbringing away from celebrity – life in Los Angeles. Chris further says that it was important for his mental health to get away from the Hollywood curve. – I worked too much and was tired of seeing my face everywhere while at the same time doubting myself and worrying; 'why don't I get more attention, am I not hot enough anymore?' In consultation with his family, the actor, who is in cinemas this summer in the blockbuster Furiosa, decided: A Mad Max Saga to leave Los Angeles and move back to his native Australia. There, he has created the perfect family life in scenic Byron Bay, where the three children go to school and in their free time play with all the family animals, hang out on the beaches and ride the blue waves in the surfer's paradise.

When VOYAGE met Chis a few years ago, he said he feels most comfortable by the sea.

– I'm basically a pretty laid back surfer guy. I feel best by the sea, close to the waves. It makes me feel free and gives me a healthier perspective on life. Chris grew up in several places in Australia. His mother worked as a teacher and his father was a social worker. Chris and his brothers Luke and Liam (Hunger Games) were all interested in acting at an early age. When his oldest brother Luke got a role in the Australian TV soap Neighbours, Chris decided he wanted to be an actor too.

“We watched a lot of movies at home, and one of our favorite movies was The Legend of Zelda,” Chris told Vanity Fair. “I watched the movie over and over again. I was completely obsessed with Brad Pitt’s character, Tristan. One of my sons is named after that character. Chris’s first big role in Australia was on the TV soap opera Home and Away. There he played a hunk who mostly walked around and was good-looking, which he quickly got tired of. He felt that he wanted to do real roles in real movies. At the age of 23, he moved to Los Angeles to seek his fortune in Hollywood. As a nice, ambitious and willing to work hard, the young Australian made a good impression on casting directors and directors. He got his first really noticeable role in 2009 in Star Trek. A couple of years later, he got the role that would make him a super celebrity when he played the beefy ace god Thor in the movie of the same name. In total, he has now played Thor in thirteen different projects, which include feature films and video games.

Chris says he likes Thor, but it's fun to play completely different roles every now and then. One of his favorite movies to do was Rush, where he played the racing legend James Hunt, under the direction of Ron Howard. Chris worked hard for several years and jumped on more and more films. Most of the roles were hunky action roles, but he really wanted to show off his comedic side, so when the chance came to play the dimwitted assistant to the female ghostbuster gang in 2016's Ghostbusters, he happily accepted – a decision he regretted during filming, according to an interview in GQ.

– The script was very open to improvisation and I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to do it. But it went well, I played a real fool and it suited me perfectly. Of all the roles I've played, Kevin in Ghostbusters is probably the one that is most like me personally. During the filming of the TV series Limitless, Chris received shocking news that made him see life differently. During the filming, he received the news through a DNA test that he carries double genes that give a greatly increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

– It was sad news, but it hasn't affected my life in any way other than me trying to make the most of everything good while I can, he tells Vanity Fair. There were rumors in the media that I was going to give up my career, but that's not true. I don't do as much film as I used to, but that's completely my own choice. I'm turning down a lot of things to focus on what I really want to do, roles I love and quality time with my family. But don't worry, I will continue to work and I have lots of exciting new film roles coming up. V

CHRIS WATCH – AN EAGLE FROM CHOPARD 

The eagle is the inspiration for Chopard's Alpine Eagle, and in the Alpine Eagle Frozen version it is strewn with diamonds and sapphires. Think snowflakes on sparkling alpine peaks!

The case has a diameter of 41mm and the material of the integrated bracelet is made of ethical 18K white gold and is completely set with diamonds while the ring is set with sapphires.

The movement is Chopard's automatic movement 01.03-C with a 60-hour power reserve.

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL & CHOPARD

Chopard and the Cannes Film Festival have officially collaborated since 1998 when Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, presented her redesigned version of the festival's finest award: the Palme d'Or.

This year's Palm d'Or has the same shape as before but has now been placed on a rock crystal base in the shape of an emerald-cut diamond. Even more beautiful!

A number of actresses and actors also wear the finest jewels and watches from the house of Chopard on the festival's red carpet. This year we could see Demi Moore, Eva Longoria, Kevin Costner, Liya Tong and Greta Gerwig in Chopard, among others.

ABOUT FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA:
In 1979 the first Mad Max movien, starring Mel Gibson. The film is set in a harsh, dystopian world created by Academy Award-winning director George Miller. Now he returns with the highly anticipated Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a standalone action adventure that reveals the origin of the character from the multiple Academy Award-winning global hit Mad Max: Fury Road from 2015. In Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Chris Hemsworth plays the bearded motorcycle-riding warlord Dementia against, among others, Anya Taylor-Joy, Alyla Browne and Tom Burke.

CHRIS TIPS:
THE 5 BEST BEACHES IN AUSTRALIA

Chris Hemsworth, now a tourism ambassador for Australia, fondly remembers his childhood surfing the waves at Phillip Island. Now he surfs with his children in the crystal clear waters of Byron Bay. He says:

– Australia's beaches are amazing. We have the whitest sand and the bluest water. The air is not polluted and people have a great sense of freedom in Australia. Feel the sand between your toes and take in nature as much as possible!

Cape Woolamai, Phillip Island, Victoria:
– One of my favorite surfing spots. I spent a large part of my childhood here and I have great memories with my brothers.

Cape Schanck Boardwalk, Mornington Peninsula:
– I like Cape Schanck for its wild coast with its extraordinary nature walks.

Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, New South Wales:
– It is a protected marine park, so there is great biodiversity to see below the surface.

Currumbin Alley, Gold Coast, Queensland
– Perfect for families, this is where a clear and deep coastal estuary meets the sea. This beach is a paradise for children.

Mallacoota, Croajingolong National Park:
– It's because of this place that I love the sea. I used to camp here with my family during Christmas. It has everything: sandy beaches, clear water, fantastic surfing spots and a rich fauna and flora.

Read more about Chris Hemsworth's favorite places in Australia: www.australia.com

CHRIS HEMSWORTH
Age: 40.
Boron Byron Bay, Australia.
Family Married to Spanish actress Elsa Pataky since 2010. Together the couple have three children, 12-year-old daughter India and 9-year-old twin sons Tristan and Sasha.
Career in brief: He broke through in Australia in the TV series Home and Away. His first notable international film role was in Star Trek in 2009. In 2011 he broke through again – again with a bang (!) as the ace god Thor in the Marvel adventure, which led to him playing Thor in a number of films and video games. We have also seen him in cinemas in Rush, Snow White and the Huntsman, A Cabin In the Woods, Ghostbusters and Men In Black: International, among others.
Currently In theaters in the movie Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.