Ester Exposito, the Mbappé girlfriend, won the International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent at the Festival TV Monte-Carlo. The prize puts her in the festival frame while France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup run keeps Kylian Mbappe in the headlines.
Monaco prize, public spotlight
The award was presented by Prince Albert II of Monaco during the opening ceremony of the 65th Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Variety said Exposito received it for her work on Elite, which ties the recognition to a specific screen credit rather than a vague rise in profile.
That matters because the Golden Nymph Award sits inside a festival built around television, not celebrity noise. In practical terms, it gives Exposito a formal industry marker at a moment when Mbappe is taking center stage for France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Gold dress, Instagram gallery
After the ceremony, Exposito was spotted celebrating in a gold, sparkling dress and then posted a gallery of photos on Instagram and wrote, “Thank you for this precious recognition.” The presentation also circulated through a clip shared by The Royal Fashion Channel, giving the win a second pass beyond the room in Monaco.
For Exposito, the sequence is straightforward: a festival award, a visible appearance, and a public thank-you built around one line. The work on Elite has now translated into a named honor, and that is the part that will matter most to casting teams and awards watchers.
France before Iraq
France beat Senegal 3-1 in the World Cup last week and is scheduled to play Iraq on Monday at Philadelphia Stadium. That keeps Mbappe in the tournament spotlight while Exposito’s award travels on a separate track, which is why the pairing draws attention without sharing the same stage.
The clean read on this is simple: Exposito got a career credential, not just a red-carpet photo, and the award lands at a time when the Mbappe name already carries maximum visibility. What comes next for the reader is the easier part to track — France plays Iraq on Monday — but the sharper industry question is what specific work on Elite the festival judged most highly.
