Elsa Pataky opens up about marriage with Chris Hemsworth

They’re the ‘golden couple’ of Hollywood-via-Byron Bay, but according to Elsa Pataky, her marriage to Chris Hemsworth is far from perfect.

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky will mark a decade of marriage at the end of the year, but while many consider the pair an industry “golden couple”, Pataky reveals the relationship hasn’t come without its struggles.

Speaking to Body & Soul as this week’s cover star, the actress she finds it “funny” that people think of them as a “perfect couple”.

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“It’s been ups and downs, and we still keep working at the relationship. I think a relationship is constant work. It’s not easy,” the Spanish actress, 43, told the publication.

She added that any hardship they’ve encountered has only made their union stronger.

“I always try to see the positives of things.”

Hemsworth, 37, was introduced to Pataky by William Ward, a talent agent in LA, in early 2010. The pair got married just three months later in December.

The actress, author and mum of India, 8, and six-year-old twins Sasha and Tristan, said one such struggle of their early days as husband and wife came as she adjusted to motherhood, admitting she felt “lost” in the new role.

“I remember feeling a bit lost when I had India,” she said.

“I thought my life was going to be the same (when I had kids) and I would keep working. But I couldn’t. Chris would come home and say, ‘How was your day?’ And I didn’t feel proud to say: I’m just a mum. But you should. Because it’s the hardest but greatest job in the world.”

Elsa Pataky is this weekend’s Body & Soul cover star. Picture: Supplied.

Once Pataky became used to her role as a mother, she decided to hit pause on her career, she said.

“I really liked being with the kids.

“I wanted to take them to school and pick them up every day. I just love that moment. I didn’t grow up with my parents (around) and I missed that so much, so I wanted to give that to my kids.”

“I love acting, but having balance is important to me. So, if something comes along that fits into my life and lets me work close to home, then I’m happy to do it,” she added of her career, hinting we could be seeing her on the screen soon.

Pataky and Hemsworth bought their sprawling hilltop property for $7 million in the chilled coastal town of Byron Bay in 2014.

In May, Hemsworth revealed what prompted their big move from bustling LA to blissful Byron Bay six years ago.

Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth left LA for Australia in 2014. Picture: AP

Opening up to GQ, the Avengers star said living in the showbiz epicentre was proving too intense as his career and superstar status began to take off.

Now, it’s hard to imagine the hunky Aussie moviestar and stunning actress, often seen chilling out on the beach with their three children and dog Sunny, living anywhere else.

“You’re a little bit too much in the eye of the storm when you’re living in Hollywood,” Hemsworth said of the move.

“Living in Australia, it’s also easier to detach myself from work – and you get a bit more leeway to let a few emails and phone calls slide on by.”

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky bonded over their love of keeping active when they first met. Picture: Instagram.

In November last year, Tidelands actress Pataky released her book Strong, which follows the Spanish model’s “approach to building strength of body and mind” to achieve health and vitality.

Speaking to Body & Soul, she said her interest in health and wellbeing began at an early age, adding that she’s always been interested in keeping fit and healthy.

She said it’s something her and Hemsworth, who launched fitness app Centr last year, have always had in common, and have instilled in their three children.

Read the full interview with Elsa Pataky in the current issue of Body & Soul, available in the Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Herald Sun, on sale Sunday, August 23.