Chris Hemsworth might play a Norse superhero in movies, but in real life, he wants you to know that he's a regular guy with regular troubles — especially when it comes to work-life balance. In his new profile for GQ Australia, Hemsworth opened up about his relationship with wife Elsa Pataky and the struggles they faced in their marriage after having kids. Hemsworth explained, "My wife and I fell in love, had kids, didn’t really see each other for a few years, then fell back in love."
While the actor doesn't literally mean he and Pataky never saw each other in the five years since they started having children, he does say that it gets harder to prioritize your significant other when kids are in the picture. Hemsworth told GQ, "Once you have children, every instinct and every moment of your time is consumed by that."
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For married couples who are dealing with a similar urge to devote everything they have to their children, he says, setting time aside for your partner is key. "You’ve got nothing for each other – so make sure you have date night even if it’s once in a blue moon, because most of the time you’re just too tired and you’d actually prefer to sleep," the Thor: Ragnarok star explained.
Hemsworth also touched on another issue that affects many couples: how to divide up responsibilities, and who might have to give something up in order to maintain the partnership. "In terms of work, she’s certainly given up more than I have," he told the magazine. "She’d like me to step back and be at home with the kids more, and of course, I want that too. But I feel like I’m at this crucial point in my career – I’ve just got to set up for longevity or I’ll slip off."
Because his wife Elsa Pataky, who is model as well as an actor, has sacrificed so much for their relationship and for the sake of their family, Hemsworth is sure to let her know how much she's appreciated. When asked if he writes love letters to his wife, he responded, "I don’t, but maybe I should. There’s no shortage of how much I tell her I love her."