Pataky was born as Elsa Lafuente Medianu in Madrid, Spain, the daughter of Cristina Pataky, a publicist with Romanian-Hungarian ancestry, and José Francisco, a chemist. Pataky attended the Universidad de San Pablo and studied journalism. During this time, Pataky also enrolled in acting classes. She was also a member of the Madrid theatre company, Teatro Cámara de Ángel Gutiérrez. Eventually, Read more...

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 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 Read more...

Pataky enjoys rollerblading, snowboarding, and horseback riding. She was in a relationship with French actor Michaël Youn (her co-star in Iznogoud), currently she is dating American actor Adrien Brody. She is the face on Nestlé ice cream stands in Spain. She is said to be getting married to Adrien Brody, as reported in Star Magazine.