Luke Hemsworth says famous family name makes acting career harder

Australian actor Luke Hemsworth says having a famous last name has not made his career easier—in fact, he believes it can sometimes work against him.

Luke, who is the older brother of Hollywood stars Chris and Liam Hemsworth, has built a steady acting career with roles in shows like Westworld and projects in the Terminal List universe. However, he told The Guardian that people often assume he gets roles easily because of his family, which he says is not true.

According to Luke, being a Hemsworth comes with a “stigma.” He explained that he has to work extra hard to prove himself in auditions and be fully prepared for every role. He said he has put a lot of effort into improving his craft over the years.

Luke also shared that he enjoys playing unique and complex characters, even if they are smaller roles. Still, he said comparisons to his younger brothers can be difficult. He joked that one common reaction he gets is people commenting on his height.

The confusion with his brothers sometimes happens even at major events. Luke said he has been mistaken for Liam on occasion and was even introduced as Liam Hemsworth at the premiere of his new film Beast.

In Beast, Luke plays an MMA fighter alongside actor Russell Crowe. Despite landing the role, he said he still has to clearly explain who he is when meeting people in the industry.

Luke has worked with both of his brothers before. He appeared with Liam in the 2024 film Land of Bad and had small roles in the Thor movies, where he played an actor portraying Chris’s character.

Looking ahead, Luke said he hopes the three brothers can star in a project together someday. He joked that Chris is very busy and would need to be scheduled years in advance.