Australian actor Chris Hemsworth became a star in the U.S. with a series of well-received genre films. He was a household name in his native country while starring on the popular drama series, "Home and Away" (7 Network, 1988- ), playing an opinionated student navigating his way through high school in a seaside town. He quickly became a sci-fi sensation across the pond with a brief but memorable role in the J.J. Abrams reboot of the worldwide phenomenon "Star Trek" (2009) as Capt. James T. Kirk's ill-fated father. But it was not until he landed the lead role in the film version of the comic book hero "Thor" (2011) - beating out his younger brother, fellow heartthrob Liam, in the process - that Hemsworth truly flexed his muscles, establishing himself as one of the most charismatic young actors of the moment.