Elsa Pataky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elsa Pataky
Pataky in 2007
Born	Elsa Lafuente Medianu (1976-07-18) 18 July 1976 (age 49) Madrid, Spain
Alma mater	Universidad CEU San Pablo
Occupation	Model actress
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Chris Hemsworth ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	3

Elsa Lafuente Medianu (born July 18, 1976), known to the world as Elsa Pataky, is a Spanish model and actress. She is famous for playing police officer Elena Neves in the popular Fast & Furious movie series.

Pataky first became well-known in Spain for her role as Raquel Alonso in the teen drama Al salir de clase. She has also appeared in movies like Snakes on a Plane (2006) and Give 'Em Hell, Malone (2009). In 2024, she showed her acting range by playing two different characters, Mr. Norton and the Vuvalini General, in the movie Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Early Life and Education

Elsa Pataky was born in Madrid, Spain. Her father, José Francisco Lafuente, is a Spanish biochemist (a scientist who studies chemistry in living things). Her mother, Cristina Medianu Pataky, is a Romanian publicist (someone who helps people or companies get attention in the media). She also has a younger half-brother, Cristian Prieto Medianu, who is a film director.

She chose to use the last name "Pataky" for her acting career to honor her grandmother, Rosa Pataky.

For her education, Pataky went to the Universidad CEU San Pablo, where she studied journalism. She also took acting classes to improve her skills. Besides her native Spanish and Romanian, she is also great at speaking English, Italian, Portuguese, and French.

Acting Career

Starting on Stage and Screen

Pataky began her acting journey with a theater group in Madrid. Her big break came when she was cast in the TV show Al salir de clase. This role was so big that she decided to leave her studies to focus on acting. Her early movies were often made by companies in the UK and France, which helped her practice acting in English and French.

She also had a role in the TV series Los Serrano, where she played a teacher named Raquel.

Becoming a Movie Star

Pataky has starred in more than 10 Spanish movies. She also appeared in the French movie Iznogoud (2004) and was on the cover of Maxim magazine in 2006.

Her career grew even more when she starred in action movies like Give 'Em Hell, Malone and the thriller Giallo.

Joining the Fast & Furious Family

In 2011, Pataky joined the cast of Fast Five as Officer Elena Neves. Her character worked alongside Dwayne Johnson's character, Luke Hobbs. This role made her famous all over the world. She returned as Elena in Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), and The Fate of the Furious (2017).

Pataky also helped out in the movie Thor: The Dark World. She acted as a stand-in for Natalie Portman in a scene filmed after the main movie was finished.

Recent Work

In 2018, Pataky starred in the Australian TV series Tidelands, which was released on Netflix. She played the main role in the action movie Interceptor, which came out in 2022.

Personal Life

In early 2010, Pataky began dating Australian actor Chris Hemsworth after they met through people they both worked with. They got married during the Christmas holidays in 2010.

Together, they have three children: a daughter and twin sons. In 2015, the family decided to move from Los Angeles, California, to Byron Bay, a coastal town in Australia.

In 2012, Pataky won a court case against a magazine that had published private photos of her without her permission. The Supreme Court of Spain ruled in her favor, agreeing that her privacy had been invaded.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Elsa Pataky para niños