With an A-list cast - Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Hemworth and Mark Ruffalo - playing a league of super heroes in the upcoming Marvel Studios film, The Avengers, it's no wonder the number one question on everyone's minds at the movie's press conference was: Were there any clashes of superstar egos during the 92-day long filming experience?
Well, if you were expecting tales of catfights on set and embittered stories of hostile treatment among the cast, you won't get any out of Thor actor and Australian star Chris Hemsworth.
As if amused by his personal experience on The Avengers, Chris gave a slight guffaw and emphasized that everyone was "on their best behavior" and helped "keep each other in check" on the film set.
In an exclusive interview granted to xinmsn at the Disney press junket for The Avengers held at Beverly Hills' Four Seasons Hotel, he candidly shared, "In the individual [Marvel] films there might have been more drama, but here, you don't want to be the one that steps out of line (laughs)."
It's also comforting to have many established stars share the burden and help bring in an audience, Chris readily concedes as he adds, "I felt nervous on one hand [walking on set the least experienced] but at the same time, what a privilege it was that I was going to fall in their light and shadow (chuckles)."
Even with an ensemble cast, fans of the respective Marvel heroes, can rest assure that no single one was given more screen time over the rest. Joss Whedon, director cum screenplay writer of the action flick and the genius behind TV hits such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, worked his magic in The Avengers and gave each hero a story of their own, while staging a convincing union for these super heroes.
Discounting the uneasy moments during their first scene -- and his most memorable scene -- filmed together as a group on the bridge of the spaceship, Chris explained, "I think they did it on purpose. They scheduled that scene because they needed to have some awkward tension there."
He said before breaking into laughter, "I tell ya, walking on set - and not knowing anyone - in full costume, all these... felt awkward."
A small town Australian kid born and bred in an Aboriginal community called Bulman in the Australian outback, Chris once spoke about how "small" he felt when he first arrived in the United States to make his Hollywood debut.
When xinmsn asked if things have changed for him since shooting to fame with Thor, he replied that his "objective then is the same as now" which is to "have freedom and choice" in his work.
He finds it "very satisfying" to be "part of something that such a large amount of people appreciates" and is especially taken by his young fans who are "uninhibited by the stardom factor".
"You fulfill some fantasy they have, and they believe in it more than anybody because they haven't been jaded by everything else in life.
"It's nice that kids come up to you and believe you're Thor, and not Chris Hemsworth playing Thor. That's a pretty special feeling."
The Avengers (3D) opens in cinemas on May 1.
