Elsa Pataky
Elsa Lafuente Medianu (born 18 July 1976), known professionally as Elsa Pataky, is a Spanish model and actress. Pataky is known for her leading role of Raquel Alonso in the Spanish teen drama Al salir de Clase (1997–2002), before garnering international recognition as Elena Neves in the Fast & Furious franchise. She has appeared in the films Snakes on a Plane (2006), Giallo (2009) and Give 'Em Hell, Malone (2009).
Elsa Pataky

Informador Digital (El Informador) from Spain · Flickr · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Elsa Pataky
- Birth Name
- Elsa Lafuente Medianu
- Born
- 18 July 1976
- Birthplace
- Madrid, Spain
- Education
- Universidad CEU San Pablo
- Occupation
- * Model
- Full name
- Elsa Lafuente Medianu.
- Nationality
- Spain.
- Languages
- Spanish, English and French.
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Documentary summary
Elsa Lafuente Medianu (born 18 July 1976), known professionally as Elsa Pataky, is a Spanish model and actress. Pataky is known for her leading role of Raquel Alonso in the Spanish teen drama Al salir de Clase (1997–2002), before garnering international recognition as Elena Neves in the Fast & Furious franchise. She has appeared in the films Snakes on a Plane (2006), Giallo (2009) and Give 'Em Hell, Malone (2009).
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Authority files
wikidata · Q230123 · wikipedia · Elsa Pataky
In this article
Biography
Biography
She also starred in the Spanish film Di Di Hollywood (2010) and played Mr. Norton and the Vuvalini General in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) in a dual role.

Spanish actress Elsa Pataky at Time Force's new collection presentation. El Informador Digital.

Spanish actress Elsa Pataky at Time Force's new collection presentation. El Informador Digital.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Elsa Pataky • Birth Name — Elsa Lafuente Medianu • Born — 18 July 1976 • Birthplace — Madrid, Spain • Education — Universidad CEU San Pablo • Occupation — * Model • actress • Years Active — 1997–present • Children — 3, including India Rose Hemsworth
Early life
Early life
Pataky was born Elsa Lafuente Medianu in Madrid, Spain, the daughter of José Francisco Lafuente, a Spanish biochemist, and Cristina Medianu Pataky, a Romanian publicist. Her grandmother Rosa was from the Transylvania region of Romania. Pataky attended the Universidad CEU San Pablo, studying journalism and taking acting classes. In addition to Spanish and Romanian, she is fluent in English, Italian, Portuguese, and French.
Career
Career
Pataky was a member of the Madrid theatre company Teatro Cámara de Ángel Gutiérrez. Eventually, she left school when she was cast in the television series Al salir de clase. Some of her subsequent films were co-productions with the UK and France, which introduced her to working in English and French. She was in the cast of the television series Queen of Swords (2000) as Señora Vera Hidalgo, trophy wife of Gaspar Hidalgo and mistress of Captain Grisham, credited in the opening titles but appearing in only 14 of the 22 episodes. She also had a recurring role in the television series Los Serrano, playing teacher Raquel, who fell in love with her student Marcos (Fran Perea). Pataky has appeared in over 10 Spanish films and co-starred in the French film Iznogoud (2004). She was also on the cover of August 2006 issue of Maxim. She was cast in 2009 in the Mexican series Mujeres Asesinas as Paula Moncada in the episode "Ana y Paula, Ultrajadas". She also starred in the action noir film Give 'Em Hell, Malone and Dario Argento's Giallo. Pataky became the female face for the first collection of Time Force's jewelry line Ultimate Jewel, opposite football star Cristiano Ronaldo. She played Officer Elena Neves in the movie Fast Five, with Dwayne Johnson as her partner, Luke Hobbs. MTV Networks' NextMovie.com named her one of the Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011. Pataky was a stand in for Natalie Portman in the post end credit scene in Thor: The Dark World. Pataky reprised her role as Elena Neves in Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), and The Fate of the Furious (2017), the sixth, seventh and eighth installments of Fast & Furious film series respectively. In 2018, Pataky starred in the Australian web television series Tidelands as Adrielle Cuthbert. It was released on 14 December 2018 on Netflix. Pataky played the lead role in Interceptor, directed by Matthew Reilly, which was released in June 2022. Pataky co-founded a skincare brand called Purely Byron. The brand launched its first product in 2022. In March 2023, Purely Byron was placed in administration and put up for sale. At the time, BWX Group owned a 47.4 per cent stake in the company, while Ido Leffler and Lance Kalish held about 22 per cent each, and Chris Hemsworth's Byron Bay 1st Management owned a 3.2 per cent stake.
Personal life
Personal life
Pataky dated French actor Michaël Youn from 2004–06 and American actor Adrien Brody from 2006–09. She started dating Australian actor Chris Hemsworth in early 2010 after meeting through their mutual representatives. Pataky and Hemsworth married during the Christmas holidays in 2010. They have three children together: a daughter, India Rose Hemsworth, and twin sons. In 2015, the family moved from Los Angeles to Byron Bay, Australia. In September 2012, Pataky won €310,000 in a ruling by the Supreme Court of Spain against publishing group Ediciones Zeta, owner of the magazine Interviu which in March 2007 published topless photos of Pataky that had been taken with a long lens while she was changing clothes during a photoshoot for Elle magazine.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1997 — Al salir de clase — Raquel Alonso — 192 episodes • 1998 — Tio Willy — 1 episode • La vida en el aire — 13 episodes • 2000 — Hospital Central — Maribel — 2 episodes • Queen of Swords — Vera Hidalgo — 14 episodes • 2002 — Clara — Television film • Paraíso — Luisa — Episode: "El cebo" • 2003 — 7 vidas — Cristina — Episode: "La jaula de las locas" • Los Serrano — Raquel Albaladejo — 11 episodes • 2005 — Films to Keep You Awake: The Christmas Tale — Ekran — Television film • 2009 — Mujeres asesinas — Paula Moncada — Episode: "Ana y Paula, ultrajadas" • 2018 — Tidelands — Adrielle Cuthbert — Main role
Music videos
Music videos
• Year — Artist — Song — Reference • 2004 — Fangoria — "Retorciendo Palabras"
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Elsa Pataky was recorded at birth as Elsa Lafuente Medianu. Her recorded languages were Spanish, English, French, Italian and Romanian. She married Chris Hemsworth. 3 children are recorded: Tristan Hemsworth, Sasha Hemsworth and India Rose Hemsworth.
Identity
Identity
Elsa Pataky is recorded as actress, film producer, model and singer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1976
Elsa Pataky born at Madrid.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Byron Bay.
Residences
Madrid.
Birth place
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1997 — Solo en la buhardilla — Chica revista — Short film • 2000 — The Art of Dying — Candela • Tatawo — Blanqui • Less is More — Diana • 2001 — Don't Tempt Me — Waitress in Hell • Twelfth Night (2001 film) — Marta Cuspineda • 2002 — Peor imposible ¿qué puede fallar? — Fátima • 2003 — Beyond Re-Animator — Laura Olney • El furgón — Nina • Atraco a las 3... y media — Katya • 2004 — Romasanta — Barbara • Tiovivo c. 1950 — Balbina • 2005 — Iznogoud (film) — Prehti-Ouhman • Arquitectura efímera deconstruida — Vídeo 'Retorciendo palabras' — Direct-to-video • Ninette — Alajandra 'Ninette' • 2006 — Snakes on a Plane — Maria • 2007 — Manual of Love 2 — Cecilia • 2008 — Máncora — Ximena Saavedra • Skate or Die — Dany • Santos — Laura Luna • 2009 — Giallo — Celine • Give 'Em Hell, Malone — Evelyn • Shorts — Allie Hamilton — Voice; Spanish dub • 2010 — Mr. Nice — Ilza Kadegis • Di Di Hollywood — Di Di • 2011 — La importancia de llamarse Enesto — Short film • Fast Five — Elena Neves • Where the Road Meets the Sun — Michelle • Snowflake, the White Gorilla — Bruja del Norte / Brumhilda the Witch — Voice • 2013 — All Things to All Men — Sophia Peters • The Wine of Summer — Veronica — Also producer • Fast & Furious 6 — Elena Neves • 2015 — Furious 7 • 2017 — The Fate of the Furious • 2018 — 12 Strong — Jean Nelson • 2022 — Interceptor — JJ Collins • Thor: Love and Thunder — Wolf Woman • Poker Face — Penelope • Carmen — Gabrielle • 2023 — Fast X — Elena Neves — Archive footage from Fast Five • 2024 — Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga — Mr. Norton / Vuvalini General — Dual role
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q230123: Elsa Pataky
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Elsa Pataky”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority file
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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