Kevin Smith Emailed Chris Hemsworth to Thank Him for Fat Thor in Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame placed the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s remaining heroes into a whole new status quo — and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) was certainly no exception. While the God of Thunder’s transformation in Endgame‘s five-year time jump — which included a significant weight gain — was jarring for some viewers, Hemsworth is well aware of the positive impact it created. During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Hemsworth spoke about the response to “Fat Thor,” including an email from director and geek icon Kevin Smith.

“I got an email from Kevin Smith, and he said, you know, ‘Overweight, middle-aged white men are very happy for that new superhero,’” Hemsworth revealed. “So I was like ‘Cool. Happy to help.’”

The idea of whether “Fat Thor” is positive representation has been debated quite a bit since Endgame‘s debut, with an array of different interpretations of the plotline coming up. As some have argued, the weight gain is a physical manifestation of Thor’s depression and anxiety, which cropped up after not feeling worthy of Mjolnir and blaming himself for half of the universe’s demise. As the film goes on, Thor becomes more confident in himself and his abilities, and kept his new physique as part of that. As Hemsworth revealed in a previous interview, he actually fought to not have Thor’s physique change back partway through the film.

“I like that anything goes. You’re not locked into expectations,” Hemsworth previously said of his “Lebowski Thor”. “I enjoyed that version of Thor. It was so different than any other way I played the character. And then it took on a life of its own.”

“People just kept coming up and cuddling me like a big bear or rubbing my belly like I was pregnant,” Hemsworth said. “Or trying to sit on my lap like I was Santa Claus. You get a lot of affection. I felt like an old man, an old grandpa, with a bunch of kids around. And then you get sick of it when people come up and grab your belly. ‘Don’t grab me like that!’ I know how my wife felt when strangers would come up and rub her belly.”

While it’s unknown exactly when Hemsworth will pop up in the MCU next — and what his character will look like when he does — Smith and a slew of fans everywhere will always have Endgame‘s Thor.

What do you think of Kevin Smith’s response to Avengers: Endgame‘s “Fat Thor”? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Spider-Man: Far From Home will be released in theaters on July 2nd.