Esther McGregor is a British actress, model, and musician best known for starring in Prime Video’s We Were Liars and for playing Violet Sorrengail in the upcoming Fourth Wing series. Born in London on October 22, 2001, she turned 25 this week. The daughter of actor Ewan McGregor, she started out as a Miu Miu and Celine model before moving into acting, with roles in Babygirl and The Room Next Door. Her casting as Violet, announced on October 15 and confirmed by Prime Video on October 21, has made her one of the most talked-about young actresses right now.
Esther McGregor Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Esther Rose McGregor |
| Birth Date | October 22, 2001 |
| Age | 25 Years Old (2026) |
| Birth Place | London, England |
| Raised In | London and Los Angeles |
| Nationality | British |
| Father’s Name | Ewan McGregor |
| Mother’s Name | Eve Mavrakis |
| Siblings | Clara, Jamyan, and Anouk (sisters); Laurie (half-brother) |
| Height | About 5’4″ (163 cm) |
| Languages | English and French |
| Education | New York University |
| Profession | Actress, Model, Musician |
| Known For | We Were Liars, Babygirl, Fourth Wing |
| Years Active | 2018 to Present |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Relationship Status | Not publicly confirmed |
| Net Worth | Estimated around $2 million |
Why Is Esther McGregor Trending in 2026?
Because of Fourth Wing. On October 15, Variety and Deadline reported that she would lead Prime Video’s adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’s bestselling fantasy novel, opposite German actor Emilio Sakraya as Xaden, and Prime Video confirmed it on October 21. The announcement set off a big debate among fans of the books, and Yarros herself posted a statement of support. She also turned 25 on October 22, just days after the news broke.
Esther McGregor Early Life
Esther was born in London on October 22, 2001, to Scottish actor Ewan McGregor and French-Greek production designer Eve Mavrakis. She grew up speaking both English and French and was raised Jewish. She attended North Bridge House School in North London, and when she was 11, the family moved to Los Angeles.
Performing was never far away in her family. Her great-uncle, Denis Lawson, is an actor who played Wedge Antilles in Star Wars, and she has joked that she’s been acting since before she was born. Even so, her parents didn’t let her work on screen until she was old enough to make the decision herself and to be a responsible person on set.
Esther McGregor Family
Esther is one of four daughters of Ewan McGregor and Eve Mavrakis. Her sisters are Clara, who is also an actress and model, Jamyan, and Anouk. She also has a half-brother, Laurie, from her father’s marriage to actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Her parents were married from 1995 to 2020, and her father married Winstead in 2022.
She has spoken openly about how her parents’ split affected her relationship with her father. In a 2024 interview with Variety, she said that it took years to rebuild, and that his decision to cast her in Obi-Wan Kenobi helped bring them closer together. She has also shared the screen with her father and Clara in the film Bleeding Love.
Esther McGregor Education
After finishing high school in Los Angeles, Esther attended New York University in Manhattan. She has said that she balanced school with her early modeling and music projects, and she has also trained as a tattoo artist. She has not shared more details about her degree.
Esther McGregor Career
Modeling First (2018 to 2022)
Esther’s career started in fashion. She began modeling at 16, and her first job was a Fendi campaign alongside her sister Clara in 2018. She went on to model for Stella McCartney and Celine, and she walked in Miu Miu shows, where Miuccia Prada herself reportedly picked her to open a spring and summer show in Milan. In October 2022, she starred in the Miu Miu campaign “Nobody Home,” and in April 2024 she fronted Celine’s Zouzou fragrance campaign.
She has said that modeling left her exhausted, and that’s when she decided to focus entirely on acting.
First Steps in Acting (2018 to 2022)
Her screen debut came in 2018, when she played Nicky in an episode of the web series Resting Pitch Face. During the pandemic, she started a band called French Thyme, and the group released its first EP in 2020. She also became a licensed tattoo artist and opened a shop called Pink Ether in New York City.
In 2022, she made a cameo as Tetha Grig in the second episode of Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, which starred her father, and she played Natalie in seven episodes of the coming-of-age series High School, based on the memoir by Tegan and Sara Quin. She has said that her father’s decision to bring her onto Obi-Wan Kenobi helped repair their relationship.
Breakthrough Films and We Were Liars (2023 to 2025)
In 2023, she appeared as a teenage girl in Bleeding Love, a road trip drama with her father and sister. In 2024, she had two films premiere at the Venice Film Festival: she played Isabel Mathis, the daughter of Nicole Kidman’s character, in the erotic thriller Babygirl, and she played the young version of Tilda Swinton’s character, Martha, in Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door, which won the festival’s Golden Lion.
In May 2024, she was cast in Prime Video’s We Were Liars, the adaptation of E. Lockhart’s novel, and it premiered in 2025 with Esther playing Mirren Sinclair Sheffield, one of the Liars. The role helped establish her as a lead actress rather than a nepo-baby cameo. In an April 2025 Vanity Fair profile, she said she was focused on acting above everything else. She also joined the cast of several upcoming films, including the comedy Clean Hands, opposite Zach Braff, and Chloe Domont’s thriller A Place in Hell for Neon.
2026: Fourth Wing and a Full Slate
In April 2026, Variety reported she would star as war photographer Gerda Taro opposite Mark Eydelshteyn’s Robert Capa in the drama Becoming Capa. In June, she was cast as Rachel Amber in Prime Video’s TV adaptation of the video game Life Is Strange, which has been filming. Around the same time, she was spotted on location in New Jersey for the Netflix movie The Cackling of the Dodos with Jason Bateman and Sam Rockwell.
Then came the biggest news. In October 2026, Prime Video announced that she would play Violet Sorrengail, a young woman forced into a deadly military school for dragon riders, in Fourth Wing. The series is produced by Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society and Amazon MGM Studios, with Meredith Averill as showrunner and Lisa Joy set to direct the pilot. Filming is reportedly scheduled to begin in Vancouver in April 2027, though Prime Video hasn’t announced a release date.
Esther McGregor Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Bleeding Love | Teenage girl | With Ewan and Clara McGregor |
| 2024 | Babygirl | Isabel Mathis | Premiered at Venice |
| 2024 | The Room Next Door | Young Martha | Premiered at Venice, Golden Lion winner |
| 2026 | Clean Hands | Brooke Simmers | Also stars Zach Braff |
| 2026 | A Place in Hell | To be announced | Directed by Chloe Domont |
| Upcoming | Alma | To be announced | Directed by Sally Potter |
| Upcoming | Becoming Capa | Gerda Taro | With Mark Eydelshteyn |
| Upcoming | The Cackling of the Dodos | To be announced | Netflix |
Esther McGregor TV Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Resting Pitch Face | Nicky | Episode: “Gender Parody” |
| 2022 | Obi-Wan Kenobi | Tetha Grig | Cameo, “Part II” |
| 2022 | High School | Natalie | 7 episodes |
| 2025 | We Were Liars | Mirren Sinclair Sheffield | Main role |
| Upcoming | Life Is Strange | Rachel Amber | Main role |
| Upcoming | Fourth Wing | Violet Sorrengail | Main role |
Esther McGregor and the Fourth Wing Casting Debate
Esther’s casting as Violet divided fans of Rebecca Yarros’s books. Some readers welcomed it, saying she fits the physical image of Violet, while others said she didn’t match the character they had imagined, and a few online comments labeled her a nepo baby. Fan favorites before the announcement included Inde Navarrette for Violet and Josh Heuston for Xaden.
Several of the discussions also pointed out that the headshots shared with the news weren’t flattering and that fans should wait to see her on screen. Yarros responded to the criticism by reminding fans that she doesn’t control casting, and in the official statement she thanked the producers for a worldwide search and said she was excited to see Esther and Emilio bring the characters to life. Esther herself posted “So beyond excited” on her Instagram story.
Esther McGregor Relationship Status
Esther has not publicly confirmed a relationship, and she keeps her dating life private. She talks more about her work, her sisters, and her family than her love life, and she hasn’t commented on any rumors.
Esther McGregor Net Worth
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Net Worth | Estimated around $2 million (roughly ₹17 Crore) |
| Income Sources | Acting, modeling, brand campaigns, music |
Net worth sites estimate Esther’s net worth at around $2 million in 2026, a figure that is expected to rise after her Fourth Wing lead role. Her income comes from acting, her modeling work for brands like Miu Miu, Celine, and Fendi, and her music. She hasn’t shared her finances, so treat this as an outside estimate.
Esther McGregor Social Media
| Platform | Handle |
|---|---|
| @esther.mcgregor | |
| TikTok | Esther McGregor |
10 Interesting Facts About Esther McGregor
- She was born in London but moved to Los Angeles with her family at age 11.
- She speaks English and French, and she was raised Jewish.
- Her great-uncle, Denis Lawson, played Wedge Antilles in the Star Wars films.
- She began modeling at 16, and her first job was alongside her sister Clara.
- Miuccia Prada reportedly picked her to open a Miu Miu show in Milan.
- She fronted Celine’s Zouzou fragrance campaign in April 2024.
- She started a band called French Thyme during the pandemic and released an EP in 2020.
- She is a licensed tattoo artist and opened a shop in New York City called Pink Ether.
- Her cameo in Obi-Wan Kenobi was her first major screen role, and she says her parents never let her act on screen until she was old enough to decide for herself.
- She had two films premiere at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, Babygirl and The Room Next Door.
Esther McGregor Recent News
The newest headline is Prime Video’s October 21 announcement that she and Emilio Sakraya will lead Fourth Wing, with filming reportedly set for Vancouver in 2027. She is also filming Life Is Strange and has Clean Hands, A Place in Hell, and Becoming Capa in the pipeline.
Esther McGregor FAQs
How old is Esther McGregor?
She was born on October 22, 2001, so she turned 25 in October 2026.
Who are Esther McGregor’s parents?
Actor Ewan McGregor and production designer Eve Mavrakis.
What is Esther McGregor best known for?
We Were Liars, Babygirl, The Room Next Door, and her upcoming role as Violet in Fourth Wing.
Who does Esther McGregor play in Fourth Wing?
Violet Sorrengail, the series’ lead.
Is Esther McGregor related to Clara McGregor?
Yes, Clara is her older sister, and she is also an actress and model.
Is Esther McGregor dating anyone?
She has not publicly confirmed a relationship.
What is Esther McGregor’s net worth?
Estimates are around $2 million.
