Elsa Pataky is a Spanish actress. She was born as Elsa Lafuente Pataky in Madrid, Spain, the daughter of Cristina Pataky Medianu, a publicist with Romanian-Hungarian ancestry, and José Francisco, a spanish biochemist. Elsa attended the Universidad de San Pablo and studied journalism. During this time, she also enrolled in acting classes. She 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.

She adopted the surname of her maternal grandfather, a famous Hungarian actor for her new name like actress. With the success of Al Salir de Clase, Pataky received her first film offer, El arte de morir. Some of her subsequent films were co-productions with the UK and France, which introduced her to working in English and French.

Pataky starred in the TV series "Queen Of Swords" (2000) as Señora Vera Hidalgo, trophy wife of Gaspar Hidalgo and mistress of Captain Grisham appearing in nearly all 22 episodes.

She has appeared in over ten Spanish films and most recently crossed over into the French market with her co-starring role in the 2004 box office hit, Iznogoud. She also appeared in a supporting role in the David Ellis-directed film Snakes on a Plane (2006), alongside Samuel L. Jackson. She received good reviews for her work in the Spanish film Ninette, helmed by Oscar winner José Luis Garci.

Pataky was in a relationship with French actor Michaël Youn (her co-star in Iznogoud), but currently she is dating American actor Adrien Brody She is the face on Nestlé ice cream stands in Spain. She is reported to be engaged to Adrien Brody