As they count down the weeks until their 16th wedding anniversary on Boxing Day, Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky looked every part Hollywood’s golden couple last week when they attended a special screening of Chris’ new documentary, A Road to Remember, held close to their home on the Golden Coast.
The glamorous event was the first time the couple have been seen on the red carpet together for months after speculation began swirling earlier this year that Chris’ hectic filming schedule has driven a huge wedge between them.
The Marvel actor further fuelled divorce rumours in March when he was photographed without his unique black-gemmed wedding band on a day out at the beach.
And now we’re told how the past few months, which have seen the couple lead increasingly separate lives, have taken their toll on Chris and Elsa. An insider says, ‘They keep telling people they are fine, but everyone close to them knows they’ve been struggling. They’ve had to do so much long distance and it does take a toll.
‘They’ve been together 15 years now and of course over the years there have been plenty of challenges, but nothing like this.
‘Chris has been away so much and when he is working, he’s generally shooting in America or the UK while she stays in Australia with the kids. There’s a real disconnect.’
Speaking honestly about their marriage, outspoken Elsa, 48 – who shares daughter India, 13, and twin boys Tristan and Sasha, 11, with Chris, 42 – hasn’t shied away from the realities of being married to one of Hollywood’s biggest and most sought after stars.
Earlier this year, she admitted, ‘Marriage needs constant work, and you learn a lot from the rough patches. You have to try to keep growing together, making sure that your paths carry on crossing.
‘It’s about finding the fun, enjoying the little moments and remaining curious about each other. You have to be ready to adapt, and because there are situations that separate you, you need to know how to find each other again.’
And while in March the couple jetted out to Japan to celebrate their twins’ 11th birthday – posting a series of snaps from their gorgeous ski resort where they threw Tristan and Sasha a birthday celebration and enjoyed cuddling up to miniature pigs on a day out – their relationship landed back to reality with a bang as Elsa will once again be left alone for months as Chris filmed for the latest installment of Thor in the UK.
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And while they’re now both back in Australia, where they live in Byron Bay, with Elsa filming for thriller The Mark and Chris for action flick Subversion alongside Lily Collins, the insider says their jam-packed schedules leave little time for the couple to spend together.
They tell us, ‘Elsa hasn’t taken on nearly as many projects as he has, but she’s still got plenty on her plate so when they do come together it tends to be just about their kids and doing what they need to do as a family, there’s never really time for them as a couple.
‘The unfortunate side effect of that is that they’ve really drifted apart, everyone in their lives have noticed that the crazy passion that used to be so front and centre for them is missing.
‘They aren’t having huge blow-out fights, but Chris has been complaining that things are just off track and he’s at loss as to how to fix it.’
Luckily for the couple, after two decades in showbiz, most of which they have spent together, they have built up several solid friendships with like-minded couples who have also had to navigate their marriage in the limelight.
In particular, the pair remain very close to Matt Damon and his wife Luciana, who have children of similar ages, with the families sharing several holidays together.
Opening up about their close knit bond, Elsa has said, ‘They are such amazing people. We have three kids, they have four kids, so we ended up making the same plans because everything we do with our kids, so it’s easier to do things with people that understand you.’
And now we’re told how Matt and Luciana have been instrumental in helping Elsa and Chris get their marriage back on track.
The insider says, ‘They would never go public with this and are very clear they don’t want to divorce but they’ve admitted to close friends that things have been tough. In particular Matt is someone that is very sympathetic and very encouraging.
‘He and Luciana were rock bottom not that long ago, he even stopped wearing his wedding ring. Everyone was saying a split was coming but then they pulled back from the brink. They really worked on things, they did therapy and they committed to spending more time together, so it did take effort, but it was worth it.’
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Now the source says Matt has been advising Chris to do the same. ‘He can see the deep love they have for each other,’ they tell us.
‘They just need to nurture things again and it’s important that they don’t ignore this and think the marriage will turn around on its own.’
Now, with their wedding anniversary fast approaching, we’re told how Matt is urging Chris to take the opportunity to ‘fix’ his marriage now that they are both back at home.
‘Matt has been telling Chris this is his chance to step up and turn things around,’ the source says. ‘He’s pushing Chris to carve out some time to take Elsa on a romantic holiday without the kids. He’s saying it’s a crucial moment in the marriage, a chance for Chris to step up and make a grand gesture to show her he still sees her as his wife, and not just the mother of his kids. He’s urging him to take a break from his crazy routine to put the time into his relationship.’
And after the shock news of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s divorce, which has rocked Hollywood, the insider says those close to Chris and Elsa are hoping they are able to ‘find their way back to each other’.
‘If not he and Elsa may very well end up another couple torn apart by the business,’ the source warns. ‘Even the smallest sign from Chris that he is willing to fight for them would go a long way with Elsa, it really could be all they need to get back in sync. There is still a huge amount of love between them – they just need to find their way back to each other.’
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