In National Geographic’s Limitless: Live Better Now premiere episode, the actor has one chance to knock out his first official live performance with Sheeran in a sold-out stadium and the pressure is on
Ed Sheeran‘s drummer got a brief break during the singer-songwriter’s sold-out concert in Bucharest, Romania last year. For the duration of “Thinking Out Loud,” he found a replacement in actor Chris Hemsworth, who admittedly had no prior drumming experience just a few months prior when he first agreed to play for 70,000 people. In an exclusive clip from National Geographic‘s Limitless: Live Better Now series, he settles behind the drum kit for one of the biggest moments of the night fueled solely by determination and adrenaline.
“When the bass starts, the piano, the guitar, everything hits at the same time,” Hemsworth says in the preview for the episode titled “Brain Power,” which premieres Aug. 15 on Disney+ and Hulu and Aug. 25 on National Geographic. “And if I’m off, it’s all off.”
When the song kicks off, he’s in the zone. Sheeran gives him a nod of confidence and the crowd keeps the energy up. “I look around, and Ed’s still relaxed. I’m like, just make sure you’re concentrating on what you’re doing,” he says. “I’m encouraging and welcoming the adrenaline at this point.” Hemsworth feels some nerves come to the surface when it’s time to hit the pre-chorus, but manages to push them away.
“Basically what happened is Chris emailed me last December saying he was doing a documentary on cognitive health and the benefits of learning an instrument,” Sheeran explained backstage in a video he posted on Instagram before the August 2024 concert. “He came to visit me, and he has learned drums. So he’s going to come onstage in front of 70,000 [people].”
Elsewhere in the series, Hemsworth also conquers the Swiss Alps and training with special forces. “Working on LIMITLESS was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to reflect on my strengths, vulnerabilities and all the ways in which we as humans can plan toward longevity,” Hemsworth said in a press release last year. “For this next season, we are attempting to raise the bar and go even deeper in this exploration alongside health and wellness experts from around the globe.”