Elsa Pataky — Biography
Elsa Pataky, born on July 18, 1976, is a Spanish model, actress, and producer. Hailing from Madrid, Spain, she is the daughter of José Francisco Lafuente, a biochemist, and Cristina Medianu Pataky, a publicist with Romanian and Hungarian roots. She adopted the surname Pataky from her mother's maiden name. Elsa pursued her education at Universidad CEU San Pablo, focusing on journalism while also participating in acting classes. She became involved with the Madrid theater group Teatro Cámara de Ángel Gutiérrez but left her studies when she landed a role in the TV series Al salir de clase.
Her early film work included collaborations with French and British productions, which helped her gain proficiency in English and French. One notable role was in the series Queen of Swords (2000), where she portrayed Señora Vera Hidalgo, the wife of Gaspar Hidalgo and the lover of Captain Grisham; although credited in the opening titles, her appearances were limited to 14 out of 22 episodes. Additionally, she had a recurring character as the teacher Raquel in Los Serrano, who developed a romantic relationship with her student, Marcos (Fran Perea).
Pataky has featured in over ten Spanish films and had a co-starring role in the French film Iznogoud (2004). She graced the cover of Maxim's August 2006 issue. In 2009, she appeared in the Mexican series Mujeres Asesinas, taking on the role of Paula Moncada in the episode "Ana y Paula, Ultrajadas". Her film credits also include the action noir movie Give 'Em Hell, Malone and Dario Argento's Giallo.
She became the female face for Time Force's Ultimate Jewel jewelry line, alongside football star Cristiano Ronaldo. Pataky portrayed Officer Elena Neves in the blockbuster Fast Five, partnering with Dwayne Johnson’s character Luke Hobbs. In 2011, she was recognized by MTV Networks' NextMovie.com as one of the Breakout Stars to Watch. Additionally, she served as a stand-in for Natalie Portman in a post-credit scene of Thor: The Dark World. Pataky reprised her role as Elena Neves in several sequels: Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), and The Fate of the Furious (2017).
In terms of personal life, she briefly dated American actor Adrien Brody in 2006 before beginning a relationship with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth in early 2010, after being introduced through mutual representatives. The couple wed during the Christmas season in 2010. Apart from her native Spanish, Pataky is fluent in English, Romanian, Italian, Portuguese, and French. In a significant legal victory in September 2012, she won €310,000 against Ediciones Zeta in Spain’s supreme court. This case stemmed from an incident in March 2007 when Inter
Her early film work included collaborations with French and British productions, which helped her gain proficiency in English and French. One notable role was in the series Queen of Swords (2000), where she portrayed Señora Vera Hidalgo, the wife of Gaspar Hidalgo and the lover of Captain Grisham; although credited in the opening titles, her appearances were limited to 14 out of 22 episodes. Additionally, she had a recurring character as the teacher Raquel in Los Serrano, who developed a romantic relationship with her student, Marcos (Fran Perea).
Pataky has featured in over ten Spanish films and had a co-starring role in the French film Iznogoud (2004). She graced the cover of Maxim's August 2006 issue. In 2009, she appeared in the Mexican series Mujeres Asesinas, taking on the role of Paula Moncada in the episode "Ana y Paula, Ultrajadas". Her film credits also include the action noir movie Give 'Em Hell, Malone and Dario Argento's Giallo.
She became the female face for Time Force's Ultimate Jewel jewelry line, alongside football star Cristiano Ronaldo. Pataky portrayed Officer Elena Neves in the blockbuster Fast Five, partnering with Dwayne Johnson’s character Luke Hobbs. In 2011, she was recognized by MTV Networks' NextMovie.com as one of the Breakout Stars to Watch. Additionally, she served as a stand-in for Natalie Portman in a post-credit scene of Thor: The Dark World. Pataky reprised her role as Elena Neves in several sequels: Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), and The Fate of the Furious (2017).
In terms of personal life, she briefly dated American actor Adrien Brody in 2006 before beginning a relationship with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth in early 2010, after being introduced through mutual representatives. The couple wed during the Christmas season in 2010. Apart from her native Spanish, Pataky is fluent in English, Romanian, Italian, Portuguese, and French. In a significant legal victory in September 2012, she won €310,000 against Ediciones Zeta in Spain’s supreme court. This case stemmed from an incident in March 2007 when Inter
