Ester Expósito
A Spanish screen sensation whose commanding presence and sharp style made her the defining anti-heroine of a global teen drama.
Born 2000 (age 26)·Spanish actress and model·Birthday: January 26·Generation Z
Biography
Ester Expósito emerged from Madrid's theater workshops to become one of Spain's most recognizable young actors almost overnight. Her breakthrough role as the wealthy, manipulative, and fiercely intelligent Carla Rosón in Netflix's 'Élite' was a masterclass in layered performance, making a potentially villainous character compelling and strangely sympathetic. The show's international explosion turned Expósito into a Gen Z icon, with her fashion choices and cool demeanor dissected on social media. She has since carefully navigated her fame, choosing film roles that range from teen romance to horror, demonstrating a desire to stretch beyond her star-making part. More than just an actor from a hit series, she represents a new generation of European talent leveraging streaming platforms to build a worldwide fanbase.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Ester was born in 2000, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ester Was Born
The biggest hits of 2000
#1 Movie
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Best Picture
Gladiator
#1 TV Show
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Ester's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2000Born
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2005Started school
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2013Became a teenager
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2016Could drive
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2018Could vote
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2021Turned 21
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 26 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Gained international fame portraying Carla Rosón, a central and complex character, in the hit Netflix series 'Élite'.
- Won the Best Actress award at the 2019 Feroz Awards for her role in the film 'When Angels Sleep'.
- Became one of the most-followed Spanish actors on Instagram, with a global audience in the tens of millions.
- Starred in the 2020 Spanish horror film 'Veneno' and the 2022 romantic drama 'Rainbow'.
Did You Know?
She studied at Madrid's prestigious Cristina Rota School of Dramatic Art, known for training many of Spain's top actors.
Expósito is an avid horse rider and has shared photos and videos of herself riding since she was a child.
She provided the Spanish dubbing voice for the character Zoe in the animated film 'The Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay'.
Before acting, she was a competitive swimmer for several years during her childhood.
“I don't want to be just a pretty face; I want to be a great actress.”
