Pataky is known for her leading role of Raquel Alonso in the Spanish teen drama Al salir de Clase (1997-2002), before garnering international recognition as Elena Neves in the Fast & Furious franchise.

[5] Pataky attended the Universidad CEU San Pablo,[6] studying journalism and taking acting classes.

She also had a recurring role in the television series Los Serrano, playing teacher Raquel, who fell in love with her student Marcos (Fran Perea).

[citation needed] Pataky became the female face for the first collection of Time Force's jewelry line Ultimate Jewel, opposite football star Cristiano Ronaldo.

[9] She played Officer Elena Neves in the movie Fast Five, with Dwayne Johnson as her partner, Luke Hobbs.

[10] Pataky was a stand in for Natalie Portman in the post end credit scene in Thor: The Dark World.

[22] In September 2012, Pataky won €310,000 in a ruling by the Supreme Court of Spain against publishing group Ediciones Zeta, owner of the magazine Interviu which in March 2007 published topless photos of Pataky that had been taken with a long lens while she was changing clothes during a photoshoot for Elle magazine.