I know that there are many people who will argue that Elsa Pataky is a big celebrity in Spain, and perhaps in Europe, but for years now, I’ve believed that Elsa basically only gets work because her husband pulls strings with his powerful and well-connected friends. Like, I’m sure Elsa gets *some* gigs on her own, but I absolutely believe that Chris Hemsworth has called up various studio executives and directors and suggested that they give Elsa a job.
Elsa and Chris currently live in Byron Bay, Australia, having moved there from LA a couple of years ago. The move was an effort, mainly on Chris’s part, to limit the exposure and overexposure of his family. I felt a bit bad for Elsa – so far away from home, so far away from meetings in LA and Europe, isolated because she liked to pap stroll, basically. So, somehow, Elsa got a job on the Netflix show Tidelands, which shoots in Australia (not far from Elsa and Chris’s home). Elsa chatted with the Sunday Morning Herald about living in Australia, the new show, and how she won’t go back to LA:
Who she is in real life: In Tidelands, she is somewhat ethereal, and there is a beach – but she is more of a murderous, evil, vengeance-seeking half-siren with very few angelic tendancies. The real Elsa, she says, is probably somewhere in between. “Nobody knows how I really am. The first time they gave me a role in my life, it was a show in Spain, I don’t know why but I was the evil character … I was going out and people would look at me and hate me. When you play a role like that, you find a lot of your own things that [you didn’t know were there] and secrets inside you come out. I feel like I can probably have both sides – angel and evil. If I can play a role like that I can probably be a bit evil.”
Raising her kids in Byron Bay: “It is my dream, I always wanted to be in a place like [Byron Bay]. Growing up I was very happy in nature, with animals, and I dreamed of living in a place where my kids can run around with no shoes on, surrounded by all kinds of animals – dangerous and not dangerous.”
She plans to stay in Australia: “I’ll never live in LA again,” she says with the voice of someone who has been through the kind of wringer only a city like Los Angeles can create. “We will travel back there for work when we need to, but I can’t see myself living in a city again.”
Getting the gig on Tidelands: “It was meant to be in a way. I haven’t been working for a while because I have been taking care of my family and really focused on that. I wanted to start working again but we travel around following Chris and his projects… I was just so sick of travelling. This project was just two hours from my house … and I loved the role, I really liked the script and I really wanted to do it.”
Maybe I’m being unfair to Elsa and I’m not giving her enough agency as a woman – maybe it’s as she says, and she was all for the move to Australia, and she was tired of LA and all of that. But as I’ve said before, a thirst like Elsa’s doesn’t get quenched overnight. And why should it? Elsa is a hustler. She did more to promote Chris’s films than he did. She used to have a million little side gigs and that made her happy. Maybe she’s changed. Or maybe she’s just doing all of this for her marriage.
Here’s the trailer for Tidelands. It just looks like a dumb soap opera with some vague sci-fi elements?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Who? Sorry, I got distracted by how good-looking her husband is.
I agree with her, I’ve lived in a city and never again. Now I live in a village where I can walk through fields at a moment’s notice and clear my head. Still work in a city though, sadly that’s where the money is. Maybe the move to Oz has changed her and she’s really happy. No snark here.
I hear you on not being able to disconnect from the city completely because of work. I feel like cities are where the opportunities tend to me so especially when you are young and just starting a career, a city is pretty much unavoidable. I tend to think of the living in country as a luxury you earn. At least that’s my experience. I am a couple years away from moving to the woods near one of the Great Lakes and am practically counting the days!
I grew up on the Great Lakes and now live on the west coast in a big city. I’m drinking coffee out of my Lake Superior mug this morning and dreaming of being close to nature again.
Rural poverty is much dismissed just so people who know no better can fantasize about the “luxury” of living in the country.
I live in a huge city and my “happy place” is definitely in the mountains – I can decompress when I’m in nature in a way I cannot in the concrete jungle.
@IM – I lived in rural poverty as a child and I think it’s much easier than urban poverty in some respects. The entire community was poor, so we didn’t have any of the issues that come with social stratification. The biggest issue was lack of access to health care and recreational drug use. It was hopeless, but not dangerous, as I think the equivalent in a city would have been.
If she had a different hairstyle she would be a good choice to portray Princess Nagini (Ivanka) in a movie about the current administration
She could wear a wig. Nagini very often does.
I can’t talk for all the Europeans but only for me, the only times I have heard about her it was on this site, and I thought she was an American celebrity famous because of her husband…
Same. Don’t think I’ve ever seen her in anything.
Same here. Only know her as thor‘s wife
She started with 20 something inthe show she mentioned, so yeah, the public is very used to her. She is famous (and harmless) in Spain, and nicer by far with the media than Penelope Cruz, btw.
This.
Calling her famous or even widley known in Europe is really stretching it.
Same goes probably also for Spain.
No, in Spain she has been a celebrity for the last 15 or so years. I am 35, and used to watch the show she mentions (a teen soap) in high school.
Thanks, Cublaca.
I didn’t know that.
She was also known in France because she dated a French actor called Michael Youn for a little while, and she -surprise!- got a part in a movie of his but I can’t remember the name of it.
There must be something wrong with me because I’m immune to the Hemsworth charm.
I find them cute and assume they’re basically nice guys, but not all that interesting. Clearly their wives disagree though.
I can see his physical attraction when he is a normal size, but beefed up for Thor is a turn off for me. And I lost respect for him after his repeat last minute no shows for cons.
I think he looks better non-bulked up too.
I don’t find him unattractive, but I don’t swoon over him. Shrug.
Same. I can see why people find him attractive but he really just doesn’t do it for me.
sae here. I can see why people/society would deem the hemsworths attractive, but they do nothing for me.
chris looks better when he’s not bulked up as thor.
There might be something wrong with me, too. I’m on board with kwallio. I can see other people thinking he’s attractive but he does nothing for me, unlike like Keanu Reeves.
But I never thought George Clooney, Brad Pitt or any of the major hearthrobs were interesting at all. This earned me the comment from my mum not being into not so good looking guys. Okay, whatever. Physical attractiveness isn’t everything, but I’m definitely not immune to it nor do I don’t like it. I just don’t have the same taste as other people.
I saw some of his videos and interviews, he presents himself as self- deprecating, having a sense of humor which is attractive, and a family guy. Probably helps his career longevity.
“I dreamed of living in a place where my kids can run around with no shoes on, surrounded by all kinds of animals – dangerous and not dangerous.”
LOL I love Australia. No snark. Lovely people, it’s gorgeous… and so many animals that can kill you! I attended a friend’s wedding in Queensland on a sheep station a few years ago and we arrived to help get things ready. Her MIL, wearing flip flops, said “Oh hey, watch out, just swept a Mulga Brown snake out from under the car.” My friend was like *shrugs* we have the antivenom kit. We went on to sleep outside on the property in tents after the wedding. I was low-key afraid of getting bitten. But had a great time.
My husband desperately wants to visit Australia… it’s a hard no for me.
🙄 you’re missing out and if you’re going to be ridiculous, then you don’t deserve us! For one thing, I know many Australians who’ve lived their whole lives without ever seeing a poisonous snake or spider (except in a zoo scenario). If you go out to the bush just be smart. I know only one person who’s been bitten by a snake and they spent their entire first half of their life living in the bush being a lunatic. I don’t know anyone who’s been bitten by a spider although I do know someone who was bitten by a centipede/millipede type thing in Spain.
everytime I see Elsa Pataky, I remember that this is the legend who had an Oscar winner so in love with her, he bought her a castle but then she dumped him to marry Thor. There is something wrong with this world when we don’t stan an icon like that.
Those pictures of him sitting in a bathtub without any water in it staring up at her are timeless right? Has the poor man recovered yet from losing her? Probably still in that tub but it’s filled with his tears now.
Actually her not being an icon for this shows the world still have hope.
“We will travel back there for work“
Haha, yeah…”we”. 😏
It’s true though that Byron Bay is beautiful (if very touristy). But if she’s “sick of traveling” that’s not a good sign for settling there. Hemsworth is thirsty as hell and needs to work if he’s going to be even a blip outside of Thor. Plus we are not talking about travel of four hour or even six hour flights that could be done on weekends first class. Brisbane to Los Angeles is 13 hours. He’s gone and will be gone a LOT. We will see….
How many films get shot in LA these days? A lot of films actually get shot on the Gold Coast in Australia, for that matter, including the last Thor. All film stars travel the world for work, regardless of where they live.
Tidelands was a fun, guilty pleasure. Kinda like True Blood, only it isn’t vampires.
I was just thinking, when watching the trailer, that the show reminds me of True Blood a lot. Kind of soapy with violence sprinkled in. I liked TB for what it was and only stopped watching around the fourth season when it just got boring.
I agree! It was popcorn television a la True Blood, but with more empowered women. It’s not pretending to be prestige television though. It seems to enjoy being glorious B grade. It’s a silly show, but I actually quite enjoyed Elsa’s role. Her character is badass, unapologetically and effortlessly dominating men (#notallmen, whatever, but it was refreshing!). Strong women run the plot. And there is an international cast of gorgeous people. If you want some junk food for your brain, I recommend this show 😊
I want to give it a watch, but I’ve only seen snippets of her in the Fast & Furious movies and wasn’t impressed but those aren’t really a showcase for fine acting. And what little there is in the trailer isn’t really anything to go by. Is she good in it?
There’s so much more than her… it’s the whole cast. I could watch Marco Pigossi all day long….
Late to the party but Please watch Tidelands, it’s so good. I watched it mainly for Marco Pigossi because I know him from his career in Brazil, but I also enjoyed Elsa’s work. She was really really good on the show. I had watched her on a Spanish soap like 15 years ago and I liked her then and there too.
Tideland’s story is entertaining, it is mostly well written, and the cast is great. Happy to see a cast with the not so obvious people. I hope it comes back for a second season I’m itching!!
Tidelands is so predictably boring. Nudity, sex scenes, and an orgy thrown in. Mattias, Charlotte, and Madeleine are the beautiful people in the series. Anyone who loves soft core flicks will love this. I did not watch the complete series, just fast forward and then stopped watching.
Dude LA isn’t even a normal city cause it’s spread out on so much land and includes urban and suburban and rural areas within its borders. I get so sick of dumb actors equating Hollywood and the industry w LA. It’s has a rich multicultural legacy that is shown in its people and culture and art. It’s not LAs fault that these actors kept themselves segregated from that in their little homogenous Rodeo Drive bubble.
Great description of LA, Kanani! I definitely think the city isn’t for everyone, but my friends that live in Topanga Canyon or on a farm in Malibu etc., certainly have nature in their lives! There are so many parks, hiking trails, horses and wild animals in the city. Mountain lions, rattlesnakes, coyotes.
right? as a native angeleno, i’m so tired of celebs shitting on la. there are plenty of places in la that one could grow up with nature. la is barely a city, it’s so spread out.
I just watched a vlog from two of my favorite Youtubers form the Santa Monica pier. Oh my, the sunset was so gorgeous, the atmosphere was so wonderful. The sea and a nice beach makes everything better.
While I can understand people not wanting to live in the middle of a busy city, what’s wrong with living close to one to get new experiences? I could never live so rural, a visit to the next city needed serious planning. One day I’d really love to visit LA. There has to be something about it, that it has attracted so many people over it’s history “to make it” there, to live and to experience new things.
That’s because people don’t understand the difference between the city borders and county border. Malibu is in LA County but it’s not part of LA the city. But to those on the outside, it’s probably all the same.
I just watched Tidelands and her “acting” was excruciating to watch
LOL, no love, you’ll live wherever Chris tells you you’re living.
Her hair on that top pic looks in awful condition. I think the best thing she could do would be to start up some kind of health/fitness/lifestyle blog. That is the only thing I would be interested in hearing from her about. She’s got an awesome figure which she clearly knows how to look after, she seems like a great mum and is obviously really into healthy eating etc.
No need to live in LA when you can just bring Hollywood to you. Marvel filmed the last Thor movie in Oz because Chris asked them to, the new Hemsworth compound being built is worthy of Beverly Hills or Bel-Air, and it sounds like they’ve all but convinced Matt Damon to move next door. Besides, the remoteness doesn’t seem to have deterred the paparazzi very much – I think I see more tabloid pics of Chris, Elsa, and family now than I did when they still lived in LA. She must have them on stand-by for when there are picturesque family outings scheduled.
Maybe this is unfair, but she totally seems like the type to be on a reality show someday.
Elsa was never a successful actress in Spain. She was a Spanish Kardashian. She was well known for the low budget risque films, nudity in photographs, and upscale dating of famous men. I will giver the z list actress credit, she is a savvy pr person. It is not a coincidence that Elsa had a 5 minute part in three Fast and Furious films made by Universal while Chris had a three picture deal with Universal. Once Chris films were over, so was Elsa minor role was over. Now that Chris has a Netflix contract, surprise, Elsa gets a role in a sleazy Netflix series called Tidelands. Just like Chris films outside of Marvel have been flops, Tidelands is a flop. After the release of Marvel Infinity War Endgames, Chris career is over , and Elsa career of riding the coattails of famous men is her life is also over.
I almost feel bad for her. I think she always planned on settling down with a rich, high profile guy, but someone who’d be more into playing the whole celeb game with her or was at least willing to be in the spotlight more. And she got stuck with Chris Hemsworth, who basically just hauled them back to Australia. I don’t think she expected that, but she’s still hustling regardless of where she is, so kudos to her, I guess?
I never understood her appeal until I saw Tidelands. It’s fun, soapy, silly, full of sexy accents. But Elsa? In stills she pretty, great body, but not wowowowow. In movement? She’s got this very low voice a la young Kathleen Turner and she’s just sex on wheels. I get why Adrian Brody bought her a castle. Some in the comments ragged on her acting ability, I didn’t even notice. And I’m barely bi.
I saw Tidelands. At times I found it hard to understand what she was saying. In fact, her face looked hard and tight. She looks much older on screen than her pictures. I kept thinking that young guy would not given her a second look in real life, let alone fall under her spell. She is well toned, but she looks fifty. They gave her one to two lines, three at the maximum to say. She is dull, no sex appeal, and a joke as an actress. On the other hand Charlotte Best and Madeline Madden are sexy. Too bad they wasted all their publicity on the has been Elsa. I predict Charlotte and Madeleine will become big international stars. They have what it takes.
Wait, what? Are we watching the same show? In no way, shape or form does she look 50. She’s 41, and her skin looks good. Her body is bangin, but I guess some people gonna hate.
Here and There, Like I said, Charlotte and Madeleine has what it takes to become international stars. Elsa was never a major box office star in Spain or anywhere. Michael Yoen got her a part in his film, Adrien Brody got her part in his film, Chris got her a part in his film, as well as the part in Tidelands. All of the parts have been flops. Apparently the majority of the public agrees we me that she is talentless, not sexy, although well toned. Elsa career was over years ago, and no one can resurrect it.
A bit of local context to this article, the Sydney Morning Herald is one of the major newspapers in Australia. Our press/media have not changed their first question to international celeb/royal/political visitors since I’ve been reading teen music mags (Smash Hits!) in the 80s: What do you think of of Australia?”
It’s like our journos have never grown out of asking that ridiculously juvenile, insular, self-serving approval seeking question. Elsa Pataky in answering this question is clearly aware of the readership and that in asking her about raising her kids in Byron Bay, the journo is essentially asking a better disguised version of “whaddya think of ‘Straya?!” She’s lived here long enough to know to simply play to the audience here.
Somewhere on the internet there must be audio of Ben Elton, who’d been by then living in Australia for many years, eviscerating a couple of Triple J djs who asked him that question, along the lines of “haven’t you mob matured past the need to ask that question yet??”
Another Australian here and I whole-heartedly agree with this
Great comment (And I used to read TV Hits religiously as a pre-teen and teen). However I think that question (What do you think of Australia?”) is now also a reflection of Australia’s geographical isolation. Australia is more confident now whereas before that question would be loaded and dripping with the cultural cringe. Remember watching Sandra Bernhard when she was famous for being with Madonna on a talk show and she was asked about Australia and she commented on the cultural cringe and how Australia resented but looked up to the US or something like that. She nearly got a standing ovation from the clapping audience for being so insightful, but the question (can’t remember what show and host) was so cringe-worthy because asking it showed the same insecurity she was commenting on.
Phone rings, tv producer to Elsa – “We would like to offer you the lead in a sitcom on NBC, filming in LA. Elsa, are you there, we can’t hear you.”
Elsa to producer – “Sorry, I’m cutting out of wifi at 10,000 feet and will be in LAX in 10 minutes. see you soon!”
It’s not like Byron is some idyllic tiny village, the place has become a zoo. You can barely move and it’s a hive of anti vaxxers, no thanks.
They’re pretty safe up there in the hills, building what appears to be the worlds biggest Bunnings.
Fellow aussie
Funny 😆
A note to Kaiser,
Watch the show. I like the story, it’s different. Biases aside (I was there for Marco Pigossi), I found it interesting and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I like a good story and the fact that this isn’t another show that they slap big movie actors and actresses to bump the ratings is a good reason to try, in my opinion.
Happy New Year 🙂