Elsa Pataky looks unrecognizable in husband Chris Hemsworth's birthday tribute

Chris Hemsworth couldn't help but celebrate his wife Elsa Pataky as she turned 48. But as he shared photos of her on Instagram, the actor revealed a side to the model and actress that is rarely seen.

© @chrishemsworth Instagram

In the loving Instagram post, Chris shared behind the scenes snaps of Elsa on the set of both Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Thor: Love and Thunder .

© @chrishemsworth Instagram

In the shot of the couple in the desert for Furiosa , they looked suitably bedraggled in costume - with Chris dressed as Dementus, while Elsa was in character as Mr. Norton, a deformed survivor and member of the Biker Horde in the Mad Max universe. Chris had his arms draped around his wife, who looked fearsome in costume despite the smile on her face as she straddled a motorcycle.

© @chrishemsworth Instagram

Similarly, Chris and Elsa posed in a selfie behind the scenes of the 2022 Thor film, with the Australian actor wearing his iconic superhero costume while Elsa was unrecognizable with wild tufts of brown wolf hair on her head, fanged teeth, and long talon-like nails as she wore a warrior-like dress. Despite the startling costume, Elsa smiled between her fangs to show her love for her husband.

© @chrishemsworth Instagram

She notably held the cameo of wolf woman in the film, one of Thor's former lovers. Their children, twin brothers Sasha and Tristan, also played a role in the film, as younger versions of Thor.

Between the two behind-the-scenes snaps of the couple, Chris was sure to feature more normal shots of his wife. One saw the couple out for dinner with their three children, while another more candid black and white shot saw Elsa smiling as she lay on a pebble beach with shells on her face.

© Getty Images

Chris captioned the moment: "Happy birthday to this gorgeous lady", with two heart emojis as he tagged her in the post. With a mix of photos of the couple on set and with their family, the actor made it clear that they're more than happy to spend a lot of time together.

The couple originally met in early 2010, marrying by the end of that year and have been inseparable ever since. But the secret to their marital happiness is pretty simple. Elsa told HOLA! that it was as simple as them sharing similar hobbies and a sense of humor.

"We enjoy doing the same stuff and Chris has a great sense of humor and knows how to take the sting out of things," she said. "He always makes me and the kids laugh or when I'm angry, he tells a joke to lighten the mood. Humor counts for a lot. More than anything, I enjoy laughing with him."