Born in Madrid on 18 July 1976 to a Spanish biochemist father and a publicist mother with Hungarian and Romanian roots, Elsa Pataky studied journalism at the Universidad de San Pablo. She also began acting classes while doing her course and, shortly after joining the Madrid theatre company Teatro Cámara de Ángel Gutiérrez, she landed a role in the Spanish television series Al Salir de Clase. Another long-running TV part in Queen of Swords and a string of roles in Spanish, then French and UK co-produced movies followed, before Hollywood came calling with the 2003 horror flick Beyond Re-Animator.
A two year long relationship with Oscar winning actor Adrien Brody didn't hurt in raising Elsa's profile either, and she's become a regular pin-up favourite for lad's mags and advertising campaigns like Time Force's jewelry line. Nextmovie.com has named this little Latin sizzler one of its main 'Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011'. We can't argue with their assessment!