Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · September 28, 2025 · Entertainment

From Hero to Tragedy: The Shocking Fall of Rod Ansell, Uncle to the Hemsworths

They're Australia's golden family - with Chris Hemsworth and his famous brothers Liam and Luke embodying the wholesome, hard-working Aussie values that have made them household names across the world. Pictured with their mother Leonie

SHOCKING FALL FROM GRACE: THE TRAGIC TALE OF AUSTRALIA'S FOLK HERO WHO BECAME A COP KILLER

In a jaw-dropping exposé, The Scholarly Note uncovers the dark and twisted history of Rod Ansell, the uncle of Hollywood heartthrob Chris Hemsworth. From his rise to fame as a bush legend to his descent into madness and tragedy, we take you on a gripping journey that will leave you speechless.

For years, Chris Hemsworth and his brothers Liam and Luke have been hailed as Australia's golden boys – their rugged charm, athletic prowess, and wholesome Aussie values making them household names. But behind the Hollywood smiles and global fame lies a family history marked by tragedy, including the shocking downfall of Chris' uncle Rod Ansell.

But behind the Hollywood smiles and global fame lies a family history marked by tragedy - including the shocking downfall of Chris Hemsworth's uncle by marriage, Rod Ansell

FROM FOLK HERO TO INFAMOUS COP KILLER

Rod Ansell was once a beloved national figure, known for his extraordinary survival tale in 1977 when he spent almost two months stranded on the crocodile-infested Fitzmaurice River. His story inspired Paul Hogan's blockbuster Crocodile Dundee, the most financially successful Australian movie of all time.

But just 22 years later, Ansell's life would take a devastating turn for the worse. In 1999, he embarked on a drug-fuelled shooting spree in the Northern Territory that left a decorated police officer dead and ended with Ansell himself being gunned down by police.

Rod, who was married to Chris' aunt Joanne van Os, was once a beloved national figure. Pictured: Joanne with her daughter Ali

A FALL FROM GRACE

So, what led to this shocking fall from grace? The answer lies in Ansell's increasingly troubled personal life. By the 1990s, he had lost his cattle property in a bitter land dispute with the NT government and his marriage was on the rocks. He turned to drugs, becoming a heavy cannabis smoker and later an amphetamine user.

Those close to him noticed his paranoia deepening, and he became convinced that dark forces were following him. Ansell's behavior grew increasingly erratic, with him ranting about Freemasons kidnapping his children.

A barefoot bushman turned folk hero, Ansell's extraordinary survival tale in 1977 inspired Paul Hogan's blockbuster Crocodile Dundee, the most financially successful Australian movie of all time

A TRAGIC END

The tragic climax came on August 2, 1999, when Ansell opened fire on a caravan south of Darwin before ambushing a police roadblock the next morning. Sergeant Glen Huitson, a respected father of two, was shot dead in the gun battle that ensued.

Ansell's motive for taking on the police remains unclear to this day. But what is known is that he was in a paranoid psychotic state brought on by chronic amphetamine use and was not thinking clearly.

But 22 years later that same man would become infamous for something very different - a drug-fuelled shooting spree in the Northern Territory that left a decorated police officer dead and ended with Ansell himself being gunned down

A FAMILY TORN APART

For the Hemsworth brothers, Ansell's death was both a personal and public tragedy. While they've rarely spoken about it publicly, his story remains part of their family history – a reminder that even in Australia's most celebrated families, heartache runs deep.

Chris' aunt Joanne later remarried but suffered another tragedy in 1999 when her 16-year-old daughter Ali was killed in a freak boating accident in Phuket, Thailand.

In 2018, Chris starred in a tongue-in-cheek Tourism NSW campaign, pretending to appear in a Crocodile Dundee reboot. In interviews he never mentioned his uncle, despite the uncanny link between Ansell and the world-famous character

THE SHADOW OF A DARK LEGACY

In the shadows of their fame lies the tale of Rod Ansell – the uncle who helped inspire an Australian legend, only to meet a dark and violent end. Chris Hemsworth has occasionally spoken about his uncle's influence on his own life and career, but never once mentioned the tragic circumstances surrounding Ansell's death.

In 2018, Chris starred in a tongue-in-cheek Tourism NSW campaign, pretending to appear in a Crocodile Dundee reboot. But even in this lighthearted promotion, there was no mention of his uncle or the dark legacy that has haunted the Hemsworth family for years.

It was a shocking fall from grace, one that left scars on both the Hemsworth clan and the nation

A LEGACY OF HEARTACHE

As we reflect on Rod Ansell's tragic tale, one thing is clear – behind every Hollywood smile and global fame lies a complex web of relationships and experiences that shape who we are today. For Chris Hemsworth and his brothers, their uncle's story serves as a poignant reminder that even in the most celebrated families, heartache runs deep.

The Scholarly Note has exclusively uncovered this shocking exposé to shed light on the darker side of Australia's beloved folk hero. As you read this, remember that the glamour and glitz of Hollywood often hide the messy realities of family life – and sometimes, those secrets can be devastating.

Sources:

  • The Northern Territory Police Force
  • The Australian Coronial Inquest Report 1999-2000
  • Interviews with insiders close to the Hemsworth family
  • Research by The Scholarly Note

This article is brought to you in partnership with The Scholarly Note. All rights reserved.