1. Upbringing, Drama School & First Stage Passions
Born on January 26, 2000, in the vibrant heart of Madrid, Spain, Ester Expósito Gayoso demonstrated an innate affinity for the dramatic arts from an exceptionally early age. Raised in a supportive family environment, her parents recognized her creative impulse early on and actively encouraged her artistic pursuits. Long before she stepped in front of television cameras, Expósito was drawn to performance, participating in school plays, dance workshops, and local theatrical productions throughout her childhood.
By her early teens, Expósito had committed fully to honing her craft. Rather than viewing acting as a casual hobby, she approached it as a lifelong discipline. At just 16 years old, upon completing her standard secondary education, she enrolled in professional drama training, most notably joining the prestigious Juan Codina acting workshop in Madrid. This intensive theatrical environment provided her with a rigorous foundation in classical technique, character breakdown, and emotional projection. Her natural talent and dedication quickly became apparent: in both 2013 and 2015, she earned the Best Actress honors at the Madrid Theater Awards for her standout performances in youth theater productions.
Her transition to on-screen work was marked by the grit and perseverance typical of young actors breaking into the industry. In 2016, Expósito secured a minor background role in the feature thriller May God Save Us (Que Dios nos perdone), directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. Although her scene was ultimately cut from the final edit of the film, the experience gave her a firsthand look at professional film sets. Unfazed by the setback, she landed her first televised appearance that same year as Rosa Martín in an episode of the Spanish medical docudrama series Centro Médico. These early experiences laid the groundwork for her imminent rapid rise in television.
2. The Cinematic Arrival: Star-Making Turns & Industry Recognition
Ester Expósito’s career trajectory shifted dramatically between 2017 and 2018. She secured her first recurring television role in 2017 as Ruth in the inaugural season of the popular Spanish public broadcaster TVE series Estoy vivo. Working alongside veteran actors like Javier Gutiérrez and Alejo Sauras, Expósito displayed a screen presence that belied her young age, quickly drawing the attention of industry casting directors across Spain.
However, it was in 2018 that her life and career changed forever. Expósito was cast as Carla Rosón Caleruega—dubbed ‘La Marquesita’—in the Netflix original teen drama series Élite, created by Carlos Montero and Darío Madrona. Set in the fictional elite secondary school Las Encinas, the series paired her with a talented ensemble cast including Danna Paola, Arón Piper, Itzan Escamilla, Miguel Bernardeau, and Jaime Lorente. Expósito’s portrayal of Carla—a calculating, sophisticated, wealthy heiress involved in intricate romantic entanglements and high-stakes cover-ups—became an instant sensation.
When Élite premiered in October 2018, it quickly grew into a massive global phenomenon, racking up tens of millions of views across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Expósito’s performance was universally singled out by fans and critics alike as the engine of the show’s dramatic tension. Overnight, her international visibility exploded, turning her from a promising Spanish talent into one of the most recognizable young actresses on the planet.
3. Masterful Performances, Directorial Milestones & Critical Triumphs
3.1. Defining Filmography & Transformative Characters
Capitalizing on her breakout success in Élite, Expósito made a rapid transition into feature films in late 2018. She starred as Silvia in the intense psychological thriller When Angels Sleep (Cuando los ángeles duermen), directed by Gonzalo Bendala, followed closely by her co-starring role as Andrea in Miguel Ángel Vivas’s gripping revenge thriller Your Son (Tu hijo), alongside acclaimed Spanish actor José Coronado. Her ability to hold her own opposite industry veterans demonstrated her range beyond teen drama.
In 2019, Expósito returned to television in the TVE crime drama La caza. Monteperdido, portraying Lucía Castán Grau, a young girl involved in a harrowing kidnapping case in the Pyrenees. Her subtle, emotionally vulnerable performance earned praise for highlighting her dramatic depth. Returning to her star-making role, she continued to headline Élite through its second and third seasons, cementing Carla Rosón Caleruega as one of Spanish streaming television’s most iconic characters of the 2010s.
3.2. Headline Premieres & International Stature
By 2020, Expósito had solidified her standing as a major creative force. She collaborated with acclaimed Mexican director Manolo Caro on the Netflix prestige limited series Someone Has to Die (Alguien tiene que morir), set in 1950s Francoist Spain. Starring alongside Carmen Maura, Cecilia Suárez, and Alejandro Speitzer, Expósito played Cayetana Aldama, a manipulative young woman navigating conservative societal expectations. Her performance proved her versatility in period pieces and complex, villainous character arcs.
That same year, Expósito joined the cast of the groundbreaking biographical series Veneno, created by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo (collectively known as Los Javis). She portrayed Machús Osinaga, a real-life television journalist who covered the story of transgender icon Cristina Ortiz ‘La Veneno’ during the 1990s. The series received widespread international acclaim for its empathetic storytelling and artistic brilliance.
Expanding into mainstream film comedy in late 2020, Expósito appeared as Claudia in Dani de la Orden’s family comedy You Keep the Kids! (Mamá o papá), starring Paco León and Miren Ibarguren. In 2021, she gave fans a nostalgic farewell to the character that launched her career, reprising her role as Carla Rosón in three special short-story episodes of Élite Short Stories (Historias Breves), concluding her arc on the show.
3.3. Artistic Accolades, Peer Respect & Screen Legacy
Refusing to be typecast, Expósito intentionally pivoted toward dark, challenging genres in 2022 and beyond. She took on the leading role of Lucía in Jaume Balagueró’s visceral cosmic horror film Venus, produced under Alex de la Iglesia’s The Fear Collection banner. Playing a club dancer who steals a stash of narcotics and takes refuge in a haunted apartment building, Expósito delivered a demanding, physically grueling performance that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and Sitges Film Festival, establishing her as a formidable horror genre lead.
In 2023, Expósito expanded her international footprint into Latin American cinema by starring in Lost in the Night (Perdidos en la noche), directed by acclaimed Mexican auteur Amat Escalante. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the film saw Expósito delivering a nuanced performance alongside Juan Daniel García Treviño and Bárbara Mori, demonstrating her commitment to auteur-driven independent projects.
Continuing her momentum, Expósito starred in the Netflix action-adventure thriller series Bandidos (2024–2025), filmed across Mexico, where she played Lilí, an elusive con artist hunting for ancient Mayan treasure alongside Alfonso Dosal. She followed this with leading roles in the atmospheric supernatural thriller The Wailing (El llanto, 2024) and the drama feature The Talent (El talento, 2025). Demonstrating her rising industry influence, in 2024 Expósito signed with top Hollywood management firm Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and in 2026, she was honored with the prestigious Golden Nymph Award for Most Promising Talent at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.
4. Celebrity Circles, Dating Milestones & Life Outside the Set
Despite being thrust into the relentless glare of international stardom in her late teens, Ester Expósito has maintained close ties to her roots. She maintains a tight-knit relationship with her parents, frequently crediting them with keeping her grounded during her meteoric rise to fame. She enjoys traveling back to her family’s ancestral roots in Galicia, Spain, often describing the northern coast as her sanctuary where she can escape the pressures of public life.
Expósito’s romantic life has been a source of intense media fascination across Spanish and international outlets. During her time on Élite, she was in a high-profile relationship with her co-star Álvaro Rico, who played Leopoldo ‘Polo’ Benavent. The couple dated from 2018 until late 2019, maintaining an amicable friendship after their split and continuing to work together professionally on set.
In late 2019, while working on Someone Has to Die, Expósito began dating Mexican actor Alejandro Speitzer. Their romance became a frequent topic of entertainment journalism as the pair attended high-profile events together, including the Venice Film Festival. The couple quietly ended their relationship in mid-2021. Later, from late 2021 through late 2023, Expósito was in a relationship with Uruguayan actor Nico Furtado, known for his work in Latin American television. In early 2026, media speculation linked Expósito with French football superstar Kylian Mbappé following public sightings together, generating massive coverage across sports and entertainment outlets worldwide.
5. Industry Tensions, Tabloid Scrutiny & Navigating Studio Setbacks
Ester Expósito Gayoso at the Bad Bunny Concert: Addressing the Viral Video Headlines
In mid-2026, Ester Expósito found herself at the center of a major viral media debate following an appearance at a Bad Bunny concert at Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium. Seated in ‘La Casita’—an exclusive stage-side VIP section—Expósito was filmed dancing and enjoying the music alongside high-profile figures such as Ana de Armas and Chiara Ferragni. Short video clips of her dancing for a few seconds rapidly went viral on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram, racking up tens of millions of views within hours.
The clip sparked an intense split on social media. While many fans praised her joy and style, a vocal wave of online critics posted derogatory comments, questioning her behavior, criticizing her presence in the VIP space, and inventing unfounded personal rumors linking her concert attendance to infidelity narratives involving her reported relationship with Kylian Mbappé. The incident quickly escalated from a casual evening out into a full-blown tabloid sensation.
Ester Expósito Gayoso Speaking Out Against Media Objectification and Double Standards
Rather than remaining silent or offering an apology, Expósito took a firm, public stance against what she identified as systemic online sexism and double standards. During subsequent public appearances in Ibiza and television interviews—most notably on the Spanish talk show Al cielo con ella—Expósito directly addressed the media storm. She forcefully defended her right to personal freedom and self-expression, stating: “You can be a feminist and enjoy reggaeton and twerk all the way to the floor if you want to.”
Expósito publicly criticized what she described as an “outdated puritanism” and hypocritical rhetoric aimed at controlling women’s choices and behavior. She pointed out that the issue was not a two-second dance at a music concert, but rather the toxic, judgment-filled lens of a misogynistic segment of internet culture. Her articulated response resonated widely across international media, transforming a viral tabloid controversy into a empowering discussion on women’s autonomy, modern feminism, and the online toxicity faced by high-profile female artists.
6. Screen Charisma, Method Acting & Pop Culture Legacy
Ester Expósito’s influence extends far beyond her filmography; she stands as one of the most powerful digital fashion icons in Europe. In April 2020, at the height of global lockdowns, she posted a casual 18-second video of herself dancing to a reggaeton track on Instagram. The video went viral, becoming the most-viewed video in Instagram’s history at the time with over 90 million views, boosting her follower count overnight and cementing her status as an internet phenomenon.
Her signature aesthetic—blending sophisticated high-fashion glamour with modern streetwear elements—has made her a favorite of luxury brands. She has served as a global ambassador for luxury jeweler Bvlgari and high-end fashion houses such as Yves Saint Laurent, frequently headlining red carpets at the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and the Goya Awards. Her distinctive makeup looks and red-carpet styling are routinely documented and emulated by beauty publications worldwide.
7. Upcoming Film Premieres, Directorial Ventures & Future Projects
Looking ahead, Ester Expósito continues to push her artistic boundaries across both mainstream streaming projects and international cinema. Following her signing with Brillstein Entertainment Partners, she is strategically expanding her presence into English-language cinema and international co-productions while maintaining strong roots in Spanish and Latin American film.
Among her upcoming releases is the highly anticipated romantic thriller Marfil, based on Mercedes Ron’s bestselling novel, where Expósito takes on a central role in a story of romance and suspense. Furthermore, building on her critical success in Venus and Lost in the Night, Expósito continues to seek out auteur filmmakers who challenge her dramatic capabilities, ensuring her position as one of the defining screen talents of her generation.
Ester Expósito Gayoso FAQs: Key Questions Answered
How old is Ester Expósito?
Ester Expósito was born on January 26, 2000, making her 26 years old.
Who is Ester Expósito dating or married to?
Ester Expósito is unmarried. She has previously been in relationships with actor Álvaro Rico, Mexican actor Alejandro Speitzer, and Uruguayan actor Nico Furtado, and was linked in early 2026 to footballer Kylian Mbappé.
What is Ester Expósito’s most famous work?
She is most famous for her breakout role as Carla Rosón Caleruega in Netflix’s global hit teen drama series Élite, as well as starring roles in Venus, Someone Has to Die, and Lost in the Night.
What awards has Ester Expósito won?
Her accolades include Best Actress at the Madrid Theater Awards (2013, 2015) and the Golden Nymph Award for Most Promising Talent at the 2026 Monte-Carlo Television Festival.
