Elsa Lafuente Pataky born 18 July 1976 is a Spanish actress. Pataky was born in Madrid, Spain, the daughter of Cristina Pataky Medianu, a publicist with Romanian-Hungarian ancestry, and Jos� Francisco, a Spanish biochemist. Pataky attended the Universidad de San Pablo and studied journalism. During this time, Pataky also enrolled in acting classes. Pataky dated actor Adrien Brody for two years, splitting in May 2009. Pataky was a member of the Madrid theatre company, Teatro C�mara de �ngel Guti�rrez. Eventually, she left school when she was cast in the television series Al salir de clase. 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 starred in the TV series "Queen Of Swords" (2000) as Se�ora Vera Hidalgo, trophy wife of Gaspar Hidalgo and mistress of Captain Grisham appearing in nearly all 22 episodes.

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 on the cover the August 2006 issue of Maxim due to her supporting role in the David Ellis-directed film Snakes on a Plane, alongside Samuel L. Jackson. She received good reviews for her work in the Spanish film Ninette, helmed by Oscar winner Jos� Luis Garci. She participated in 2009 in the Mexican series Mujeres Asesinas as Paula Moncada in the episode "Ana y Paula, Ultrajadas". She also starred in the action noir film Give 'Em Hell, Malone and Dario Argento's Giallo. Elsa has been know to flirt with other female girls though she has never actually been with another female she loves to flirt with them all the time. Once she knows her friends real well its not uncommon for her to walk up to one of her girls friends and tell her how sexy she is while grabbing a handful of tits. Of course she does this in a joking manner but it has made a few people question if she really is into women. She often tells other girls they are so good she could eat them all up...almost someone would call her out on this just to see what she would do.