A Tale of Two Heroes! Meet Chris Hemsworth’s Wife and Action Star, Elsa Pataky

Chris Hemsworth may be known as the God of Thunder on the big screen, but at home, he puts the hammer down and takes on the role of husband and father. In fact, his wife of more than a decade, Elsa Pataky, has been by his side since before he was even cast as Thor (or named one of the Sexiest Men Alive). 

She told Vogue Australia in 2018 that she wasn't sure how their marriage survived in its early stages, but that they found a way to make it work. "In the beginning it was beautiful, when I met him, he wasn't known at all and I grew with him and experienced all his successes and changes, and then he became just so huge and I've been sharing that too," Pataky explained. "Going through every moment and being there with him with every success was actually a good thing—we grew together. It's difficult when you go from being an unknown person to a very known person and all the changes that come with that." 

Here’s a look at Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky’s marriage and their fairytale romance.

Related: Chris Hemsworth Poses With Wife and Twin Sons in Rare Red Carpet Family Photo

Who is Chris Hemsworth married to?

Chris Hemsworth is married to Elsa Lafuente Medianu, professionally known as Elsa Pataky. She was born in Madrid, Spain. Her mother, Cristina Pataky Medianu, is a publicist and her father, Jose Francisco Lafuente, is a biochemist. She attended the Universidad de San Pablo CEU to study journalism, but she discovered acting is her calling. She joined a theater company in Madrid, and left college when she was offered a role in the long-running Spanish television series Al Salir de Clase in 1997.

What does Elsa Pataky do?

Pataky is a model and actress, most notably known for her role as Elena in the Fast and Furious franchise. Her acting career blossomed in Spanish television and movie roles before she went international. She has also starred in Snakes on a Plane; Giallo and Give 'Em Hell, Malone. In 2022, she starred in the movie Interceptor on Netflix, playing an army lieutenant trying to save the world after 16 nuclear missiles are fired at America.

Hemsworth was actually an executive producer on the film, and Pataky says that it was an experience having him in charge. “He's my boss. But it was fun. He really wanted me to do this role as he knew how much I would enjoy it," she said of the experience. “It took us from being parents to creative collaborators on a film project; which was a really different experience,” she added.

Pataky also worked alongside her husband back in 2013's Thor: The Dark World, where she served as Natalie Portman's body double during reshoots.

She took a break from acting to stay at home to raise their kids, but she says it’s a decision she chose to make. "I wanted to focus on my children because I had already worked a lot," she explained to Hola magazine. "We decided if we had children, I wanted to stay with them and enjoy them to the fullest—but it was my decision."

Hemsworth opened up about his relationship with Pataky back in 2017 to GQ Australia and said, “My wife and I fell in love, had kids, didn’t really see each other for a few years, then fell back in love. In terms of work, she’s certainly given up more than I have."

How did Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky meet?

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky were introduced to each other by talent agent William Ward in early 2010. They went public with their romance on the red carpet by September.

"There was no light-bulb moment," Hemsworth reflected during a 2010 interview with Elle magazine. "From the first time we met, we just made sense. She's fun. She's outgoing, and she has a sense of humor and a passionate attitude toward life, which is nice to try to keep up with."

How long has Chris Hemsworth been married?

Hemsworth and Pataky have been married for more than a decade. The pair were married in 2010 shortly after Christmas while on vacation with both of their families. “We did everything very quickly. I don’t know how we survived as a couple,” Pataky candidly shared with Vogue Australia in 2018. “We were married and then a year after we had kids. It puts a lot of pressure on a marriage, but we came out good because there is a lot of love between us and we are very strong personalities but love each other so much. We make it work.”

Why didn’t Elsa Pataky take Chris Hemsworth's last name?

Pataky’s last name is not Hemsworth. During an appearance on Australia’s The Kyle and Jackie OShow, Hemsworth shared their travel schedules was the issue.

"I think that she wanted to, I think she still may," he said. "I think it was when we were coming back from America. We were living in Europe and deciding where to go. It was a complication of passports and so on."

Pataky has said that last names in Spain were a complicated issue. She uses her grandmother's surname "Pataky" as an actor, but she was born Elsa Lafuente Medianu. She revealed, "That's my Spanish name. We actually have two surnames as one, which is weird; your mom's and your dad's."

How old is Elsa Pataky?

Elsa Pataky, born July 18, 1976, is 47 years old. She is seven years older than Chris Hemsworth. When they got married in 2010, she was 34 and he was 27.

What language is Elsa Pataky fluent in?

Pataky is actually multilingual: She speaks Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian.

Who did Elsa Pataky date before Chris Hemsworth?

Prior to dating Chris Hemsworth, Pataky was in two publicly known relationships. She dated French actor Michaël Youn from 2004 to 2006, and actor Adrien Brody from 2006 until they split a few years later. In fact, Brody gave Pataky a castle! In October 2008, he surprised her by purchasing and renovating a stone-built castle in New York for the pair to live in. They broke up in 2009.

Between 2005 and 2008, Hemsworth dated his Home & Away co-star Australian actress Isabel Lucas.

Does Chris Hemsworth have kids?

Hemsworth and Pataky have three children. In 2012, they welcomed their daughter India Rose, followed by their twin sons Tristan and Sasha in 2014.

Hemsworth revealed what he thought was the most beautiful thing about fatherhood. "I think [parenthood] brings out the child in all of us," he previously told Parade. "It reminds you of the fascination you had with things, and how you can spend hours just being with someone. It's amazing."

Related: Chris Hemsworth Sends Scathing Message About False Health Reports

Do Chris Hemsworth and his wife have matching tattoos?

The couple do have matching tattoos. They both have five symbols of the Runic alphabet correlating with the letters C, E, I, T, and S which represent their family. Hemsworth also inked the “C” on Pataky’s wedding ring finger, and she returned the favor by inking E on his.

Pataky also unknowingly manifested her marriage when she was a teenager. When she was 15 she got a tattoo of the Thor symbol on her bicep, decades before she met the man who would play Thor on the big screen. In an interview with Vogue Australia, she explains why she got the tattoo. “Yes, it’s about Thor and I ended up marrying [the man] who plays Thor! It is shocking how things in life [turn out]. I just liked that [symbol] and the legend he had was so beautiful and I wanted to keep it.”

What is the key to their long marriage?

Elsa Pataky revealed the secret to their long-lasting marriage. “He makes me laugh every day, like in all-day situations and everything,” she told Access Hollywood. “And we respect each other and have time for each other even having kids.”

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