Elsa Pataky Got 'Competitive' with Husband Chris Hemsworth on the Set of Action Movie Interceptor

To play a military captain who takes on violent traitors while trying to stop a nuclear attack on the U.S., actress Elsa Pataky got some help from home. Her husband, Avengers hero Chris Hemsworth, coached Pataky behind the scenes for her role in the Netflix thriller Interceptor.

"He was there to just [offer] all kinds of advice. Of course, he's a professional action movie star. So it was great to have him holding my hand," says Pataky, who tells PEOPLE that Hemsworth, also a producer on the Netflix thriller, was often on set.

Brook Rushton/Netflix

During some of Pataky's fight scenes, the Australia native, 38, would weigh in and offer his wife tips. "He knows exactly how to throw a punch," says Pataky, 45, who admits she sometimes bristled at his suggestions. "We're very competitive. [I was like] 'Okay, I know what I'm doing.' But in this case, he knows more."

And while Pataky says Hemsworth "pushed" her to take the role, it was Pataky herself who pushed her body to the limits to get in top physical shape. Before filming began, the 45-year-old trained for several months for more than an hour each day.

"It was totally a bootcamp," she says. "Going up hills with heavy weights. I wanted to feel what the army girls go through." She insisted on doing many of the movie's action sequences and stunts, resulting in "bruises everywhere," she says. "My body was hurting so much."

Despite the physical pain, Pataky was satisfied to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming an action movie star herself: Growing up in Spain watching her favorite adventure films wasn't enough for her. "I wanted to be Indiana Jones," she says.

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That desire only deepened after she married Hemsworth in 2010 and witnessed the Thor star become one of Hollywood's top on-screen heroes. "I've seen Chris working so hard," she continues. "I wanted that challenge, too. He inspires me."

She was also proud to show their three children, India, 10, and twins Tristan and Sasha, 8, what their mother is capable of.  "I was showing them the [action] moves, like, 'Isn't this cool?' They're like, 'Yeah cool!' I was really proud to show them that I'm not just a mom, I can kick ass."

Interceptor begins streaming on Netflix Friday, June 3.