Élodie Yung (born Élodie Yun-Yung) was born on February 22, 1981, in Paris, France. Her father is Cambodian, and her mother is French. She grew up in Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. Yung practiced karate for ten years and holds a black belt.
Yung studied law at the University of Paris, where she earned a degree. She also studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
Yung began her acting career in French television in the early 2000s. Her early roles included appearances in the television series La vie devant nous (2002-2003) and Mademoiselle Joubert (2005-2007). She transitioned to film with roles in French productions before gaining international recognition.
Yung’s breakthrough role in an English-language film was as Miriam Wu in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). She gained further recognition for her portrayal of Jinx in G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013). However, she is most widely known for her role as Elektra Natchios in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Daredevil (2016) and The Defenders (2017), both produced by Netflix.