Ester Expósito Net Worth

What is Ester Expósito's Net Worth?

Ester Expósito is a Spanish actress and model who has a net worth of $5 million.

Ester Expósito became internationally famous for playing wealthy and calculating student Carla Rosón on the Netflix teen drama "Elite." Appearing in the show's first three seasons, she emerged as one of its most recognizable cast members and developed an enormous following outside Spain. Rather than remain closely associated with a single character, she left the series at the height of its popularity and began pursuing darker films, prestige dramas, thrillers, and international productions.

Expósito's post-"Elite" work has included the Netflix miniseries "Someone Has to Die," the Spanish horror film "Venus," the Mexican drama "Lost in the Night," the psychological horror film "The Wailing," and the Netflix adventure series "Bandidos." She has also become a major fashion figure, appearing in campaigns for luxury brands and serving as an ambassador for companies including Bulgari and Desigual. Her combination of streaming fame, film work, fashion campaigns, and one of the largest social media followings of any Spanish actress has made her an internationally recognized star. In 2026, Expósito also attracted widespread attention for her relationship with French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé.

Early Life

Ester Expósito Gayoso was born on January 26, 2000, in Madrid, Spain. Her family has roots in Galicia, where she spent time while growing up. Expósito became interested in acting as a child, although her parents initially resisted allowing her to attend professional auditions.

She attended public school and began formally studying acting during her teenage years. Expósito trained in Madrid and performed in theater productions before moving into television and film.

Early Television and Film Roles

Expósito began appearing on Spanish television in 2016, with small roles in the medical docudrama "Centro Médico" and the prison drama "Vis a Vis." Her first recurring television part came in 2017, when she played Ruth in the first season of the supernatural police series "Estoy Vivo."

She also began building a film résumé. In 2018, Expósito appeared in the thrillers "When Angels Sleep" and "Your Son." The latter starred José Coronado as a doctor who takes matters into his own hands after his son is brutally attacked. Expósito later joined the cast of the mystery series "La Caza. Monteperdido," playing Lucía Castán during the show's first season.

Breakthrough with "Elite"

Expósito's breakthrough arrived in 2018 when she was cast as Carla Rosón Caleruega in "Elite." The Netflix series followed students from different economic backgrounds whose lives collided at an exclusive private school outside Madrid.

Carla was introduced as an intelligent, sexually confident member of the school's wealthy social circle, but the character became increasingly important as the series explored murder, blackmail, class divisions, and family corruption. Expósito's performance made Carla one of the show's most popular and widely discussed characters.

Expósito appeared throughout the first three seasons alongside cast members including Itzan Escamilla, Miguel Bernardeau, Danna Paola, Arón Piper, and Álvaro Rico. The show's international success transformed her from a young Spanish television actress into a global celebrity.

She left the regular cast after the third season but returned in 2021 for the three-part special "Elite Short Stories: Carla Samuel," which gave Carla and Samuel a final chapter.

Film and Television Career After "Elite"

In 2020, Expósito played Cayetana Aldama in "Someone Has to Die," a three-part Netflix thriller created by Manolo Caro and set in conservative 1950s Spain. That same year, she appeared in the acclaimed series "Veneno."

Expósito followed those projects with the family comedy "You Keep the Kids!" and then took on one of her most physically demanding roles in "Venus," a 2022 supernatural horror film directed by Jaume Balagueró. The film gave her an opportunity to move significantly beyond the polished and privileged image associated with Carla.

Expósito expanded into Mexican cinema with director Amat Escalante's "Lost in the Night." The film premiered in the Cannes Premiere section of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. She then starred in Pedro Martín-Calero's "The Wailing," a psychological horror film that competed at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, where Martín-Calero won the Silver Shell for Best Director.

She returned to Netflix as Lilí in "Bandidos," an action-adventure series about a group searching for a hidden Mayan treasure in the Mexican Caribbean. The show ran for two seasons and gave Expósito another leading role designed for an international streaming audience.

In 2025, she starred as a gifted cello student facing an exploitative proposition in the psychological thriller "The Talent." She was also cast in "Drawn Together," Amazon Prime Video's adaptation of Mercedes Ron's novel "Marfil."

In 2026, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival honored Expósito with its International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent.

Modeling and Brand Endorsements

Alongside acting, Expósito has developed a lucrative career in fashion and advertising. Her rapid rise following "Elite" led to collaborations with Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, Marine Serre, and other major fashion and beauty companies.

Bulgari named her a global brand ambassador, and Expósito became a global ambassador for Spanish fashion company Desigual in 2025. She launched the partnership with the brand's "Not a Doll" campaign.

Expósito has described fashion as another form of artistic expression rather than simply a commercial extension of her acting career. Her social media audience has also made her especially valuable to fashion and beauty advertisers. Her Instagram account has attracted more than 24 million followers, and her red-carpet appearances regularly generate coverage throughout Spain, Europe, and Latin America.

Relationship with Kylian Mbappé

Expósito began dating French soccer star Kylian Mbappé in 2026. Although the couple did not initially make a formal announcement, they were photographed together repeatedly throughout the spring and summer.

The pair was first linked after they were seen having dinner and visiting a bowling alley in Paris in April 2026. They were subsequently photographed vacationing together in Sardinia and spending time in Ibiza ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mbappé further fueled interest in the relationship when he briefly posted a photograph of Expósito wearing his French national team jersey on his Instagram Story before deleting it. Expósito was later filmed sitting beside Mbappé as he watched the World Cup final with friends, with his arm around her.

In July 2026, the couple was photographed holding hands after having dinner together in Paris. Neither Expósito nor Mbappé has spoken extensively about the relationship, and Expósito has said that she does not want attention surrounding her private life to overshadow her acting career.

Expósito has also acknowledged that soccer was not a major part of her life before meeting Mbappé. She grew up in a household that rarely watched matches and said that she was only beginning to learn more about the sport.

Public Image

Expósito has been selective about her work since leaving "Elite," favoring leading roles and projects that allow her to move beyond the glamorous image associated with Carla. She has expressed an interest in working across different genres, returning to theater, performing comedy, and taking roles in languages other than Spanish.

She has also spoken publicly about the pressures created by sudden fame, the sexualization of young actresses, and the importance of rejecting scenes or advertising campaigns she does not believe in. Expósito has said that she treats social media as a professional tool and a limited glimpse of her life rather than an accurate representation of her identity.

She has participated in events supporting the United Nations refugee agency and has used her public platform to speak about sexism, violence against women, and unrealistic standards imposed on women in entertainment and fashion.

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