As Hollywood superstar Chris Hemsworth gears up to share his journey into the world of percussion, Parkway Drive drummer Ben Gordon is recalling what it was like to see the “Thor” actor step into the role of music student.
Nearly a year ago, Hemsworth surprised fans at an Ed Sheeran concert in Bucharest, Romania, by taking the stage and playing drums alongside the British pop star—despite having never touched a drum kit before.
This unexpected cameo from the God of Thunder was part of Hemsworth’s National Geographic series Limitless, which follows the actor as he pushes himself through mental and physical challenges.
The Drumming Challenge
Ahead of the show’s upcoming season premiere on August 15, Ben Gordon of Parkway Drive Remembers Teaching Chris Hemsworth How to Play the Drums and shared the backstory during an interview with Australia’s Today Extra.
“It was good fun, actually,” Gordon said. “I’ve been friends with Chris for about seven or eight years now. We met through a mutual friend when he moved to Byron Bay, and we’ve been mates ever since.
“So when Ed Sheeran challenged him to learn the drums for Limitless, I was the obvious call—probably because I’m his only mate who’s a professional drummer. He rang me up and asked if I could help.”
At first, Gordon expected his role to be entirely behind the scenes, but the training process ended up being filmed and included in the final episode.
From No Rhythm to Showtime
When hosts David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys asked if Hemsworth had any real drumming skills, Gordon didn’t sugarcoat his answer.
“When he first came to me, he was really bad,” Gordon admitted. “I respect him a lot for doing it because the whole point of the episode was to find something he wasn’t naturally good at—which is rare, because he’s talented in so many areas—and just dive in.
“No one is great at everything, not even Chris Hemsworth. The drums were totally new to him. He had no idea, no rhythm. But that was the challenge—and that’s what makes it entertaining to watch.”
Parkway Drive’s Journey
Formed in 2003 in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Parkway Drive released their debut album in 2005 and broke into Australia’s Top 10 with Horizons in 2007. By 2010, Deep Blue marked the start of a four-album streak on the Billboard 200, with 2015’s Ire reaching No. 29 and topping the Top Hard Rock Albums chart.
The band’s latest release before “Sacred” was 2022’s Darker Still, which earned them their third ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album.
