Chris Hemsworth begins season 2 ofLimitlesswith a blunt confession:“Of all the stupid things I could have done, this feels like the stupidest.“The very first words of the return ofNational Geographic’sdocuseries challenging the man behind Marvel’sThorset the tone for what follows: a journey that is both daunting and deeply human.
When Chris Hemsworth first set out onLimitless, he was cast as the fearless guinea pig, pushing his body and mind to extremes in search of science-backed longevity. But for the newly titled return of the series,Limitless: Live Better Now, the journey deepens. Hemsworth is no longer simply testing limits; he’s searching for meaning.
“The first season was all about pushing my physical and mental limits using science to explore how we might live longer, healthier lives,“he recalls.“I was much more of a guinea pig, thrown into intense challenges without knowing what to expect. But coming out of that experience, I was left wondering not just how to live longer, but how to live better now.”
That question, what it means to truly live better, anchors the new season. Across six countries and a dizzying mix of physical, emotional, and even spiritual trials, Hemsworth is joined by world-class thinkers and risk-takers who help frame the experience. Their insights weave science, psychology, and philosophy into a narrative that’s both cinematic and deeply human.
Nearly three years ago, I debuted thekey art forLimitless With Chris Hemsworthright here onScreenRantas an exclusive. Three years later, we’re looking at how this show has evolved.
In preparing thisScreenRantexclusive cover story preview, I spoke with Chris Hemsworth and three of the experts who guided him:Steph Davis, Dr. Maya Shankar, and Abby Marsh. Together, their reflections pull back the curtain on what went into making this season, the extremes that tested Chris, and what they hope audiences will carry with them. This piece, and the series itself, ultimately explores a central theme: that living better now requires confronting fear, embracing connection, and finding resilience in both body and mind.
Pushing Past Fear
Personal Motivation & Mindset
Fear is the thread that ties every challenge together inLimitless: Live Better Now. For Chris Hemsworth, the toughest moments were not always the most physically grueling, but the ones that demanded total vulnerability.
“I can do intense training, extreme cold, fasting, all of that, but learning to play the drums was way out of my comfort zone,“he admits upon reflecting on the challenge of the season’s first episode, titled “Brain Power”,which sees Hemsworth join his pal Ed Sheeran on stage to perform – with limited preparation – in front of 70,000 fans. “I had to dig deep, embrace my fear and trust that all of the practicing I had done would pay off.”
And trust me, you willfeela little bit of the anxiety Hemsworth does as the clock counts down to when he had to go on stage and set the beat for Ed Sheeran and his band. That willingness to step into the unknown reflects the larger shift Hemsworth took in season 2.
“Just like the first season, I attempt to take learnings from each challenge and apply them to my daily life. So now, I’m surrendering a little more and going with the flow, and I’ve learned that ‘living better’ isn’t always about doing more or pushing harder; sometimes it’s about slowing down, listening more deeply, and being okay with discomfort.”
World-class free solo climber and top wingsuit BASE jumper Steph Davis recognizes that tension between fear and growth.“Fear will always be there, so rather than fighting it, I attempt to expect it and accept it. Fear can provide energy and motivation, and it can also let you know when you should stop and listen.“For Davis, managing fear is not about eliminating it but about transforming it into fuel.
Episode 2, titled “Risk,” sees Hemsworth attempt to climb a 600-foot Alpine dam in the Swiss Alps. I asked Davis how to approach such intense and high-risk climbs when there’s no room for error.
“I take a super pragmatic attitude toward confidence and performance. If I’m taking on something with extremely high consequence and no room for error (for example, climbing without a rope), I won’t even be there unless I believe I’m over 100% prepared physically and mentally to do it safely. At that point, I objectively know I’m totally capable of performing, and all I have to do is carry out what I trained to do. I verbally tell myself to relax and have good feelings, and I’ll take a deep breath and smile. After that, I turn off my emotions and do what I know how to do.”
Dr. Maya Shankar, pictured in the three images below, helpedHemsworth with preparing his brain for drumming alongside Ed Sheeranand explained to me that discomfort is more than a side effect of fear; it is a sign of progress.“Discomfort is actually a reliable signal that we’re boosting our brains in a powerful way,“she says. Shankar continues:
“When we challenge ourselves and are confronted with failure in the short term, it means we are unlocking improvements in the brain. Every time we fail, it’s a signal that something isn’t quite working and that the brain needs to be reshaped. In response to failure, the brain releases a cocktail of neurochemicals that help it adjust and improve, and when we identify what went wrong and how to do better next time, we’re honing our problem-solving skills and mental flexibility. In short, failure isn’t just okay – it’s how the brain grows.”
In other words, fear is not something to conquer once and for all; it is the mechanism by which we evolve.
I also reached out to neuroscientist Abby Marsh, who points out that fear does not just isolate us, it can connect us. “There is no question that experiencing intense emotions in social setting strengthens social bonds… Feeling intense emotions together can result in emotional resonance, in some cases brains literally synchronizing their activity, that makes us feel more deeply connected to others.”
Vulnerability, she adds, is a powerful invitation:“When someone reveals to us that they are afraid, it can make us feel more connected to them, because being willing to be vulnerable about your fear signals that you trust others to want to help you or care for you rather than exploit you.”
“In addition, people who have experienced serious challenges and hardships in the past are more likely to act to help others, in part because of the increased self-efficacy that results from overcoming hardship and challenge. Knowing you have been able to handle yourself in dangerous situations before gives people the confidence that they will be able to meaningfully help others in danger.”
InLimitless: Live Better Now, fear is not the enemy, it is the gateway. For Hemsworth, Davis, Shankar, and Marsh, stepping into fear is where transformation begins, whether it is on a towering cliff face, in the lab, or in front of 70,000 people.
The Journey Behind the Scenes
What Chris Hemsworth and Darren Aronofsky Are Trying to Achieve
The second season ofLimitless With Chris Hemsworth(that was the title of season 1) unfolds as much in quiet reflection as in high-adrenaline set pieces. “Bhutan was unforgettable,“Hemsworth says when I asked him what location or moment had a lasting impression out of the six countries he visited over the two years of shooting.“The energy, the stillness, the focus on happiness and harmony – it was unlike anywhere I’ve been. It gave me time to reflect in a way I hadn’t for a long time.”
Other moments were far less serene. The infamous “pain valley” sequence you’ll see inLimitless: Live Better Nowrequired Hemsworth to endure intense physical suffering with no preparation.“I didn’t actually prepare at all,“he explained when referring to season 2’s third and final episode titled “Pain”. He continued:
“I didn’t actually prepare at all. BJ Miller, the expert I worked with on that episode, had a great point – with pain, we’re never sure when it will come on or how intense it will be. So I had absolutely no idea what to expect or how to prepare. So, while we were doing the challenge with the special forces, I took some lessons from the earlier challenge I did with my mates where we played Jenga while getting electrocuted. I was able to make my own ‘pain killers’ by embracing humor in the moment and camaraderie with the others going through the same challenge, so that definitely helped. What surprised me most was how much your mindset truly shapes your threshold.”
That mindset shift was key in every corner of the production.“Darren’s a visionary, and from day one, we were aligned on making this season feel more raw and human rather than using me as a guinea pig and throwing me into challenges,“Hemsworth says of re-teaming with Darren Aronofsky.
We wanted to explore bigger, deeper questions, while also showing vulnerability.
Steph Davis immediately recognized the parallels between Hemsworth’s training and her own world of extreme sports.“Chris’s experience with freezing temperatures on the dam was so representative of how things go with big climbing goals, because the weather and conditions are such massive players… There are a lot of different phases of thought and emotion you’ll move through, so there’s a mental journey going on at the same time as the physical one.“She adds,“Being uncomfortable is like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it, and it also changes your perspective on what actually is comfortable.”
“Chris’s climb of the dam also gave some insight into how long you spend in an intense situation when you’re climbing—it’s not like a skydive or a cliff jump where you gather up your nerve and just jump out, and it’s over in a few seconds. When you’re climbing up a wall or a mountain, it actually goes on for a very long time, sometimes hours or even days. There are a lot of different phases of thought and emotion you’ll move through, so there’s a mental journey going on at the same time as the physical one.”
Dr. Maya Shankar points out that even our perception of pain can be reshaped.
“We know from research that how we frame a negative experience can alter our response to it. When we encode something painful as a challenge that is going to be accompanied by personal growth—as compared to just a sheer threat—it can trigger a more adaptive biochemical response and actually diminish the intensity of our pain response. In other words, by attaching some meaning to our pain, we can help make it more tolerable.”
And Abby Marsh reminds us that none of these trials are endured in isolation.“One of the important lessons from the season is how much our relationships with others can help build up our own emotional resilience and well-being. When we feel connected to other people, it reduces our sense of pain or fear in difficult situations.”
Behind the spectacle of every set piece lies a constant negotiation between preparation, discomfort, and perspective.Limitless: Live Better Nowreveals that resilience is forged not only in the extremes themselves, but in how Chris and the people around him chose to face them.
Living Better Now
Themes and Takeaways from Limitless Season 2
What emerges from these trials is a shared philosophy: living better is about balance, connection, and curiosity. Hemsworth puts it simply:“I learned that we’re capable of far more than we think – not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. There’s a power in stepping into the unknown, especially when you’re doing it for the sake of growth. I also realized how deeply connected our bodies and minds are.”
That perspective has shifted with time and fatherhood. “In my 20s, ‘living better’ might’ve meant pushing harder or lifting more, thinking that was better. But now, as a father of three and someone thinking about long-term health, it’s more about sustainability, balance, and legacy. I want to be around for my kids, not just physically, but emotionally. That shifts everything.“For Hemsworth, living better now is as much about presence as it is performance.
“I hope people walk away feeling empowered to make meaningful change.”
Hemsworth tells me that he hopes the series inspires audiences to make their own changes, big or small.“I hope people walk away feeling empowered to make meaningful change – and it can be something small, whether that’s picking up a new hobby or reconnecting with their inner-child and embracing their sense of play and curiosity.”
Steph Davis (pictured above), free solo climber, BASE jumper, and wingsuit flyer, embodies the paradox at the heart of resilience:“Climbing is about holding on, and BASE jumping is about letting go.”That balance between control and surrender mirrors the show’s core lesson, as demonstrated in episode 2 where Hemsworth endures all sorts of challenges to build towards an epic climb.
Dr. Maya Shankar emphasizes that resilience begins with identity.“Keep a flexible self-identity,“she recommended when I asked her about building mental resilience from a scientific perspective.
“One thing that can make the unexpected challenges in our lives so hard is that they threaten our sense of what makes us valuable as people. If you have a more diverse, robust self-identity that incorporates many components of who you are, it will help you be more resilient when a challenge in your life affects one component.”
She also points to practical tools.“Behavioral science is an excellent resource for helping us to understand the gap between our intentions and our actions.”
“While we might have big dreams for our futures, human nature often gets in the way of achieving our goals. Research in behavioral science accounts for our psychological biases—for example, our tendency to prioritize the present over the future—and gives us concrete strategies for working around them.”
Abby Marsh adds the scientific consensus:“The most important components of psychological well-being are having a sense of purpose, having strong relationships with others, and having good health.”
Caring for others and maintaining good relationships with them is associated with better well-being in pretty much every research study that has ever been done.
Together, these perspectives suggest that living better now is not about escaping discomfort, but about finding meaning, balance, and joy in how we face it.
A Legacy of Growth
Chris Hemsworth on Longevity, Legacy, & What Comes Next
Ultimately,Limitlessseason 2 reframes longevity itself.“Longevity isn’t just about living longer, it’s also about living better and actually enjoying life,“Hemsworth reflects.“It’s not only about adding years to your life, it’s about adding life to your years.”
It’s not only about adding years to your life, it’s about adding life to your years.
That vision of longevity is deeply personal for Hemsworth as he reflects on what matters most in being there for his kids. The true test is not about breaking new records, but about being present for the moments that matter most, he tells me.
Steph Davis believes that risk is central to that legacy.“Understanding how to take risk is a crucial skill for everyone,“Davis emphasizes.“you may’t avoid risk, because everything we do carries some level of consequence. But taking on risk, learning to manage it, does not mean ‘being risky.'”
“Learning how to handle risk will open your world and allow you to keep growing and progressing. I really like how Chris was willing to step so far out of his comfort zone and put himself out there, doing something that’s inherently terrifying on a primal level and physically super demanding, and also show that experience to the world, and I hope it inspires people to look for more of those experiences in their own lives.”
Abby Marsh adds that legacy is not at odds with ambition.“I think there is a false perception out there that ambition and connectedness to others are somehow incompatible. Nothing could be further from the truth!”For her, care and compassion are not only compatible with achievement, but essential to it.
Taken together, their voices echo the spirit ofLimitless: that through fear, connection, and courage, we can not only extend our lives, but enrich them, living fuller, more intentional stories along the way.
As for what comes next, would Chris Hemsworth do season 3 ofLimitless, and if so, what challenge(s) he would take?
“Great question. You’ll have to wait and find out!”
Watch the official trailer for Limitless: Live Better Now
In the end, Hemsworth’s tongue-in-cheek admission,“Of all the stupid things I could have done, this feels like the stupidist,”becomes something more than a laugh line. It is a reminder that growth often begins in the uncomfortable, the intimidating, and even the absurd.
Limitless: Live Better Nowproves that stepping into those moments of fear and uncertainty is not about chasing danger for its own sake, but about discovering what it truly means to live better now.
Limitless: Live Better Nowis available on Disney+ and Hulu, and airs June 20, 2025 on National Geographic.
