Elsa Lafuente Medianu, known professionally as Elsa Pataky, was born on July 18, 1976, in Madrid, Spain. She adopted the surname “Pataky” from her maternal grandmother, Rosa Pataky.
Pataky studied journalism at the Universidad CEU San Pablo. While pursuing her studies, she also took acting classes, which led to her involvement in the Teatro Cámara de Ángel Gutiérrez. Her acting career began with roles in Spanish television series such as Al salir de clase (1997) and Queen of Swords (2000-2001), as well as films like Afterclass (1999).
Pataky gained international recognition for her role as Elena Neves in the Fast & Furious franchise, starting with Fast Five (2011). She has continued to reprise this role in subsequent films, including Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), and The Fate of the Furious (2017).