They’ve been married for 14 years but in recent weeks, Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky have looked like a couple newly in love.
As they cosied up and kissed at the ceremony for Chris, 40, to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the actor declared to the world that he wouldn’t have his thriving career and mega success if it wasn’t for his Spanish wife.
“I want to say thank you to my beautiful wife, who has been here for my entire career basically by my side, endlessly encouraging and supportive,” the Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga star gushed. “And it doesn’t get lost on me that she put aside her own dreams in order to support mine and, again, [I am] forever in your debt.”
ELSA’S SACRIFICE
Indeed, Elsa – who was a well-known model and actress in her native Spain when she met Aussie Chris – has been open about the fact she pressed pause on her own Hollywood acting career to raise their three kids, India, 12, and twins Tristan and Sasha, 10.
“I decided to focus on them and leave my career on the side, to just do little things here and there and try to be happy with that, even though it was my passion and I loved what I did.”
But as Chris’ career skyrocketed, with huge roles in the Thor and Avengers films, Elsa admitted she was envious of her movie star husband’s life.
“It was hard in some moments, because you see the person you love doing what you’re so passionate about, you see them doing movies, and you wish you could too,” she said in 2021.
As the children have gotten older, Elsa, 47, has been able to slowly get back to her acting roots with minor roles in TV shows and films.
And from her and Chris’ loving displays on red carpets from Cannes to Australia in recent weeks, it’s clear they’ve made it through any rocky patches in their marriage.
BACK ON TRACK
Just six months ago, the Byron Bay-based couple were subjected to US reports that they had “drifted apart”, and their separate holidays were a “red flag” in their marriage. But the pair have always been candid about the fact that their relationship takes work, no matter how picture-perfect things look from the outside.
“It’s funny that people think of us as a perfect couple,” Elsa said in 2020. “No way. It’s been ups and downs, and we still keep working at the relationship… It’s not easy.”
And in LA last week, Chris acknowledged that their relationship was stronger than ever.
“The fact [is] that nothing that I do, any of these moments, these special occasions and events, none of it is special without you by my side. I love you,” he said to Elsa, who cheered him on at the star ceremony alongside their three young children.
ON-SET DATE NIGHT
Even Hollywood stars can struggle to carve out some time away from the kids, but Chris and Elsa found the perfect way to do just that – by working together on a big movie!
Chris plays villain Dementus in action flick Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, but actress wife Elsa also came on board to play not one, but two minor roles in the George Miller film.
“It’s kinda like date night for us because we have three kids,” Chris said of working with his wife on the Australian set.
“Going to work together is when we get some alone time.”
And the pair clearly had a blast together, with Chris posting a fun video of when he first saw Elsa in full makeup and looking unrecognisable as Mr Norton, a deformed member of Dementus’ biker gang.
