Nadia Melliti Net Worth, Height, Bio, Birthday, Wiki

Nadia Melliti holding the Best Actress trophy at the 78th Cannes Film Festival (2025). Nadia Melliti is a French actress who became the breakout star of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival by winning the Best Actress award for her debut film role. A former sports student with Algerian heritage, she was discovered in a chance street casting and had no prior acting experience. Her natural talent and authentic portrayal in The Little Sister earned widespread critical acclaim, marking one of the most remarkable film debuts in recent years.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Nadia Melliti
• Profession: Actress
• Born: March 30, 2002 – Les Lilas, Seine-Saint-Denis, France
• Age: 23 (as of 2025)
• Nationality: French (of Algerian descent)
• Zodiac Sign: Aries (Sun in Aries – based on her March 30 birthdate)

Physical Attributes

• Height: ~5 ft 6 in (168 cm) – approximate; official height not confirmed
• Weight: Not publicly disclosed (slim/athletic build)
• Body Type: Athletic and androgynous – noted for her androgynous silhouette and tomboy style, likely influenced by her sports background.
• Hair Color: Dark brown (often worn short)
• Eye Color: Brown
• Tattoos: None visible or known publicly

Nadia’s sporty physique and natural androgynous look were often remarked upon in coverage of her Cannes debut. For her role in The Little Sister, she donned a boyish wardrobe (loose clothing, a cap) to match her character’s tomboy personality, a portrayal enhanced by Melliti’s own athletic grace.

Educational Background

Melliti pursued higher education before acting. She enrolled in a STAPS program (Science and Techniques of Physical and Sports Activities) at Sorbonne Paris North University, aiming for a sports science degree. In fact, she was a second-year undergraduate student when she landed her first film role. Nadia had no formal acting training – her background was entirely in academics and athletics. She continued attending classes during the film’s production and even thanked her professors for their support after her Cannes win. Her educational focus on sports (and the discipline it instilled) arguably helped her bring a unique focus and work ethic to her acting debut.

Family Details

Nadia Melliti was born in France to Algerian parents, grounding her in a bicultural French-Algerian identity. In interviews she mentions that her mother is an Algerian immigrant, and Nadia speaks fluent Arabic thanks to her family heritage. She also indicated that she has sisters, though their names or number have not been publicly detailed. Melliti tends to keep her family life private. Apart from acknowledging her parents’ Algerian roots and the support of her family, she hasn’t disclosed much about her father, siblings’ identities, or any other relatives. Her upbringing in a close-knit, multicultural family has been referenced as an influence on the deeply personal nature of her breakout role (which also centers on a French-Algerian family).

Relationship History

As of mid-2025, Nadia Melliti has not publicly shared details about her dating life or relationships. There are no confirmed reports of a current partner, nor any record of past relationships in the media. It appears that she is either single or chooses to keep her personal life entirely out of the spotlight. Given that she was an unknown student until recently, it’s unsurprising that she has kept her private life low-profile. Melliti’s focus in interviews has been on her work and sudden career rise, with no mention of any romantic partner – indicating that she is likely single or simply determined to maintain privacy in this area.

Financial Overview

Net Worth: Nadia Melliti’s net worth is not officially reported at this early stage of her career. Having only one film credit to date (albeit an award-winning one), her earnings and assets are modest. Industry observers would estimate her net worth to be in the low six-figure range (likely under $500,000) given her newcomer status. For her role in The Little Sister, which was an indie French production, her salary was not disclosed publicly; it was presumably a standard beginner’s acting fee (relatively low by celebrity standards).

Salary & Earnings: Specific salary figures per project are unavailable. Since The Little Sister was Melliti’s debut role, she would have been paid the scale or entry-level rate for a first-time actress. Any future projects could command higher fees, especially after the prestige of a Cannes award, but as of 2025 she has not announced new roles or contracts.

Endorsements & Deals: Nadia Melliti currently has no known brand endorsements or major advertising deals. Her sudden rise to fame could attract offers from fashion or beauty brands (for example, luxury brands often court Cannes breakout stars for appearances), but she has not publicly aligned with any brand yet. She did appear as a guest at high-profile Cannes events (such as a Dior x Madame Figaro dinner) following her win, signaling that brands have taken note of hersaywho.fr. As her career progresses, Melliti may secure lucrative endorsements, but at present her financial profile is primarily based on acting income.

(Overall, Melliti’s financial situation reflects that of a talented newcomer: significant acclaim but not yet significant wealth.)

Social Media Presence

• Instagram: Nadia is on Instagram under the handle @nadiaamelliti. As of mid-2025, she has roughly 7,600 followers. Her Instagram feed (about 15–20 posts so far) includes behind-the-scenes glimpses, film festival moments, and personal snapshots. Notably, she posted about The Little Sister’s Cannes journey, which garnered supportive comments and boosted her follower count after the festival.
• Twitter: Melliti does not maintain an active Twitter (X) presence. There are unverified accounts under her name with minimal followers, but no official or significant activity. She seems to prefer other platforms over Twitter, as there have been no notable tweets or engagements from her.
• Facebook: A Facebook page exists in her name (likely created by fans or as a placeholder), but it has a small following (on the order of only a few hundred likes). There is no indication of an official, personal Facebook profile that she uses publicly.
• Other Platforms: As a young public figure, Nadia Melliti has not heavily promoted herself on social media beyond Instagram. There’s no public TikTok or YouTube channel of hers at this time. She appears to use social media sparingly, focusing more on her craft and offline life. However, her Cannes success did trend in film circles online – for instance, clips of her award acceptance and scenes from The Little Sister circulated on Twitter and Instagram via film news accounts, contributing to her growing renown.

(Overall, Nadia Melliti keeps a relatively low-key social media profile, especially compared to other rising stars. Her Instagram is the primary window into her public persona, whereas she largely bypasses Twitter and Facebook.)

Career Milestones

• Street Casting Discovery (2023): Nadia’s entry into acting happened by chance. In 2023, while walking in Paris (near Châtelet), she was spotted by casting director Audrey Gini during a “casting sauvage” (open street casting). At the time, Melliti was simply a university student with no acting résumé – she’d never even done school theater. After an initial conversation and follow-up auditions, director Hafsia Herzi chose Nadia for the lead role in a new film. This stroke of luck – essentially being discovered on the street – was the pivotal moment that launched her screen career.
• Film Debut and Breakthrough (2025): Melliti made her screen debut in the film The Little Sister (French title: La Petite Dernière), directed by Hafsia Herzi. The coming-of-age drama premiered in May 2025 as part of the 78th Cannes Film Festival’s official competition. Nadia portrayed Fatima, a 17-year-old French-Algerian girl exploring her identity and sexuality while balancing her Muslim upbringing. Her performance was met with rave reviews, being called a “stone-cold stunner” and “one of the most auspicious screen debuts” by critics. In a stunning achievement for a first-time actress, Melliti won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for this role. She received a 12-minute standing ovation at the film’s Cannes premiere, underlining the impact of her portrayal. This Cannes triumph instantly put her on the map internationally. The Little Sister also won the Queer Palm (an award for LGBTQ-themed films) at Cannes 2025, adding to the film’s accolades and by extension, to Nadia’s breakthrough moment.
• Post-Cannes Trajectory (2025 and beyond): After Cannes, Melliti expressed that she “would love to continue” acting and pursue more film projects. Her remarkable debut led to media outlets dubbing her “Cannes’s breakout star”. In the months following the festival, Nadia likely engaged in industry meetings and script readings, capitalizing on the buzz. While specific next roles have not been confirmed as of late 2025, industry watchers predict she may receive offers from prominent directors, especially for roles that require a fresh face with authentic presence. Given her Best Actress win, there is also anticipation that she could be a contender for upcoming César Awards or Lumières Awards in France (though nominations were not yet announced at the time of Cannes). In sum, the Cannes 2025 milestone has set the stage for Nadia Melliti’s transition from unknown student to in-demand actress virtually overnight.

Filmography

Despite her recent entry into cinema, Nadia Melliti already has a notable credit:

• 2025 – The Little Sister (La Petite Dernière) – as Fatima. (Feature film debut).
  Notes: Coming-of-age drama directed by Hafsia Herzi. Melliti’s portrayal of Fatima (a teenager grappling with her sexual orientation and cultural identity) earned critical acclaim and won her the Cannes Best Actress honor. This is her first and (so far) only film role, launched at Cannes. (Film scheduled for theatrical release on October 1, 2025 in France.)

At the time of writing, Nadia Melliti’s filmography consists of this single breakout role, but it is expected to grow as she takes on new projects following her Cannes success.

Early Life and Background

Nadia Melliti was born in Les Lilas, a suburb of Paris, in 2002. She grew up in a household of Algerian heritage, which gave her a multicultural French-Algerian upbringing. French is her native language, but she also speaks fluent Arabic, a skill she attributes to her family background. Melliti’s early life was far from the film sets of Cannes – she led a fairly typical life of a Parisian suburban youth, with a strong focus on sports and studies.

During her school years, Nadia developed a passion for football (soccer). She not only played for fun, but competed at serious levels: she has “played every position on a football field except goalkeeper,” even spending time on a Division 2 women’s team in France. As a teen, she was associated with youth squads (including a stint at PSG’s U19 team and VGA Saint-Maur in the U19 league). This athletic pursuit was a form of personal “emancipation” for her – excelling in a male-dominated sport challenged norms and gave her confidence. Melliti continued to play football recreationally while attending university, balancing sports with academia.

Culturally, Nadia could relate to straddling different worlds. She comes from a Muslim family (as implied by her references to her mother’s immigrant background and her own understanding of religious customs). However, she also grew up in secular French society. This background — navigating between traditional family values and modern youth culture — later helped her connect deeply with the character of Fatima in The Little Sister. In interviews, Melliti noted that she identified with the story’s themes: like Fatima, Nadia had to reconcile family expectations, her personal identity, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood (for instance, moving from high school to university was a significant step for her, paralleling her character’s journey).

Before acting came into the picture, Nadia’s trajectory appeared to be academics and sports. She graduated from lycée (high school) and entered university to study sports science, envisioning perhaps a career in physical education or sports management. Acting was never part of her early life – she did not attend drama classes or act in school plays. Friends and family knew her as an athlete and student rather than an aspiring artist. This makes her discovery all the more extraordinary: she went from a completely ordinary life – attending classes, football practice, hanging out with friends – to walking the red carpet at Cannes in a matter of two years. Nadia’s grounded upbringing has been noted in profiles of her; despite her rapid rise, she comes across as humble, level-headed, and grateful for the opportunities, crediting her family and education for keeping her grounded.

Accolades and Nominations

• Cannes Film Festival – Best Actress (Prix d’Interprétation Féminine), 2025: Winner. Nadia Melliti won this prestigious award for her very first film role as Fatima in The Little Sister. The Cannes Best Actress prize is one of the highest honors in world cinema, and Melliti’s win at age 23 for a debut performance was widely celebrated as a “surprise victory” but clearly a deserved one. Her win made headlines internationally, given that she was a newcomer competing against veteran actresses.
• Cannes Film Festival – Queer Palm (2025): Winner (film award). The Little Sister received the Queer Palm at Cannes 2025 for best LGBTQ-themed feature. While this award was officially given to the film (and director Hafsia Herzi), it is an accolade associated with Melliti’s debut project. The Queer Palm recognized the film’s sensitive portrayal of a young lesbian Muslim woman’s story. Nadia’s authentic performance was central to the film earning this honor.
• Critical Acclaim: In addition to formal awards, Melliti has earned significant critical praise. Notably, Deadline’s review lauded her “striking debut” and The Hollywood Reporter praised her performance as a “stone-cold stunner… gorgeously modulated body-and-soul performance”. Such acclaim, while not an award per se, positions her as an early awards-season contender in any year her film is in contention.
• (Future Outlook): As of 2025, Nadia Melliti has not yet been through a full awards season beyond Cannes. Looking ahead, her performance in The Little Sister could be a candidate for French awards like the César (France’s Oscars) or Lumières Awards. If the film gains international distribution, she might also be in conversation for newcomer awards or festival juries. It is remarkable that with one role she already has a Cannes trophy; any future nominations or awards will further cement her status as one of the most promising new actresses of her generation.

Advocacy and Representation

Although Nadia Melliti is still at the dawn of her career, the themes she represents on screen and her personal background contribute to important representation in film. As a French woman of North African (Algerian) descent who played a queer Muslim protagonist, Melliti’s debut has been hailed as a win for inclusivity. In The Little Sister, she brought to life the story of a community often underrepresented in cinema – a young lesbian of Maghrebi heritage torn between faith and self-discovery. Nadia embraced this role with sensitivity, saying she deeply understood the character’s struggle for emancipation because of her own similar cultural experiences martinique.franceantilles.fr. By portraying Fatima, Melliti helped put a spotlight on the intersection of Muslim and LGBTQ+ identities, sparking conversations about acceptance and visibility for queer individuals in conservative immigrant families.

Melliti has not yet explicitly branded herself as an activist, but her very presence in this film and the authenticity she brought can be seen as a form of advocacy through art. She has effectively become a role model for young talents who come from outside the typical pipelines (no formal acting background) and for people of minority backgrounds aspiring to see themselves on screen. Her success story – a student of Algerian origin, plucked from the street to star in a Cannes-celebrated film – carries a message of breaking barriers. It suggests that French cinema is broadening to embrace more diverse faces and stories. Nadia’s victory was celebrated in French and Algerian media alike, with many highlighting the pride in seeing a “franco-algérienne” win at Cannes algerie360.com.

Furthermore, Melliti’s history in sports hints at a potential advocacy area: women’s empowerment in sports and beyond. She spoke about how playing football (a male-dominated sport) was a liberating experience for her, defying gender expectations martinique.franceantilles.fr. This suggests she values gender equality and could in the future lend her voice to initiatives encouraging girls to pursue sports or non-traditional paths.

To date, Nadia Melliti has understandably been focused on navigating her new acting career. She has not announced involvement in specific charitable causes or campaigns publicly (as of 2025). However, given her background, it would not be surprising if she becomes an informal ambassador for greater representation in film – be it for North African communities in France or LGBTQ storytelling. The industry has certainly taken note of her as “the kind of talent Cannes urgently needs more of”vulture.com, implying that her breakthrough is a hopeful sign for more inclusive casting in the future.

What Sets Her Apart

Nadia Melliti’s rise is extraordinary for several reasons, making her a unique new voice in cinema. First, her acting ability appears to be instinctual and natural. Despite no training, she delivered a performance that seasoned actors would envy – one critic described it as a “gorgeously modulated body-and-soul performance”vulture.com, and others were amazed that such depth came from a first-timer. This raw talent, combined with her authenticity, makes her stand out. Melliti brings real-life experience to her roles (drawing from her cultural background and athletic discipline), which translated into a very genuine screen presence. For example, her physicality and comfort in her own skin – likely thanks to years as an athlete – gave her a commanding yet unforced aura on camera. In The Little Sister, she could convey vulnerability and strength in equal measure, at times with just silent expressions, which is a testament to her inherent skill.

Second, Nadia’s personal story sets her apart. In an industry where many actors follow a typical trajectory (drama school, auditions, minor roles, etc.), Melliti literally came out of nowhere. She was plucked off the street and shortly thereafter was on stage at Cannes accepting a Best Actress award en.wikipedia.orgmartinique.franceantilles.fr. Such an origin story is exceedingly rare. It gives hope that talent can be found in unexpected places and that the film world can embrace newcomers from outside the usual networks. Her background as a French-Algerian, bilingual in Arabic, also adds a layer to her uniqueness – she can potentially take on roles in multiple languages and represents a generation of French people with immigrant roots, bringing that perspective to her work.

Third, her androgynous style and athleticism give her a distinct on-screen identity. Melliti’s short cropped hair, minimalistic fashion, and confident posture break the mold of the typical young starlet. She’s been described as having an “androgynous charisma” and almost “Egyptian profile” that the director found striking vulture.com. This look not only suited her debut character, but also sets her apart in real life; she can play roles that require a non-conventional, nuanced appearance. In an era where representation and breaking typecasts are valued, Nadia embodies a refreshing departure from stereotype – she’s neither the polished drama-school ingénue nor the social-media-crafted celebrity. She comes across as authentic, grounded, and relatable.

Finally, what truly sets Nadia Melliti apart is the impact she’s made with a single performance. It is not hyperbole to say she achieved in one film what many strive for over a decade: significant festival hardware and international buzz. The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and other outlets all highlighted her as the discovery of Cannes 2025 vulture.com. This immediate recognition speaks to a rare convergence of the right role, right director, and a once-in-a-generation new talent. Melliti’s ability to carry an entire film on her shoulders from the get-go – and to move audiences so profoundly – is a differentiator that points to a bright future. As she navigates post-Cannes opportunities, observers believe she could become a leading figure in bringing more diverse stories to French cinema.

In summary, Nadia Melliti is unique for her combination of talent, authenticity, and background. She has an inspiring real-life narrative, a powerful on-screen presence, and a commitment to honest storytelling. All these factors, plus the critical acclaim she’s earned, make her an actress who is not just emerging but potentially transformative. She’s an embodiment of modern French cinema’s evolution – where new faces from diverse backgrounds can rise to prominence overnight – and that is what truly makes Nadia Melliti stand apart from the crowd.

Sources:

Nadia Melliti’s biographical and career details have been compiled from interviews and news profiles in sources such as Vulture vulture.comvulture.com, Nice-Matin nicematin.com, Le Figaro/AFP (via France-Antilles)martinique.franceantilles.frmartinique.franceantilles.fr, her AlloCiné profileallocine.frallocine.fr, and the Sorbonne Paris Nord University news siteuniv-spn.fr, among others. These confirm her birth date and originsamazon.comallocine.fr, her discovery and Cannes win storyen.wikipedia.orgmartinique.franceantilles.fr, and the significance of her debut. The critical quotes are from festival coverage in Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, as cited by Vulturevulture.com. Melliti’s own reflections on her background and experience are drawn from her interviews with AFPmartinique.franceantilles.fr and Nice-Matinnicematin.com.