Elsa Pataky wants fans to know that her marriage to Chris Hemsworth is far from perfect. The 44-year-old Spanish actress opens up about her almost a decade of marriage to the Avengers star in a new interview for Australian outlet, Body & Soul. 

“It’s funny that people think of us as a perfect couple,” she says. “No way. 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.” 

Despite their struggles, Pataky says, “I always try to see the positives of things,” and notes that she and Hemsworth first bonded over their love of fitness and the outdoors. 

“[Chris and I] love to do sports, eat healthy and move our bodies,” she says. “We’ve got the kids into surfing. Any hobbies to get them outside, and not on social media and computers. My daughter has been horseriding with me since she was two-and-a-half.”

Though Pataky and her kids now like to stay active, the mother of three admits that her pregnancies slowed her down and motherhood took some adjustment. 

“I had to slow down during my pregnancies and I couldn’t exercise as hard as I wanted,” she says. “I remember feeling a bit lost when I had India. I thought my life was going to be the same [when I had kids] and I would keep working. But I couldn’t.” 

Pataky struggled with putting her career on pause while adapting to being a full-time mom. 

“Chris would come home and say, ‘How was your day?’ And I didn’t feel proud to say: I’m just a mum,'” she admits. “But you should. Because it’s the hardest but greatest job in the world.”

Now Pataky is happy she devoted the majority of her focus to her family.

“I really liked being with the kids,” she says. “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.”