Isabelle Smith
{{Short description|English actress (born 2000s)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Isabelle Smith
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 2014–present
| television = Hollyoaks
| alma_mater = Arden School of Theatre (BA)
}}
Isabelle Smith is an English actress. She made her acting debut in a stage production of Gypsy, before going on to make minor appearances in British television series including Coronation Street and Maternal. Then, in 2024, she appeared in the BBC soap opera Doctors, as well as being cast in the regular role of Frankie Osborne on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. For her role as Frankie, she has received nominations for various accolades, as well as winning Best Newcomer at the Inside Soap Awards.
Early and personal life
Smith attended Fairfield High School for Girls in Droylsden, before going on to attend Ashton Sixth Form College from 2018 to 2020. At the latter, she studied drama, photography and history for her A-levels.{{cite web |title=Speaker of the Month October 2024 - Isabelle Smith |url=https://www.asfc.ac.uk/home/student-life/news-2/speaker-of-the-month-october-2024-isabelle-smith/ |publisher=Ashton Sixth Form College |access-date=24 April 2025}} Then, from 2020 to 2023, she studied at the Arden School of Theatre, where she attained a BA degree.{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks' Frankie star Isabelle Smith's life off-screen from accountant boyfriend to Corrie past |url=https://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/hollyoaks-frankie-star-isabelle-smith-33511642 |access-date=24 April 2025 |work=OK!}} She has since been vocal on her thoughts of the acting industry being "elitist" and holding working-class women back from acting. She stated: "people have paid to go to private school, or to RADA or whatever, you're constantly having to prove yourself into every room that you’re going into, because you've maybe not had the same education as other people that you (are) sat next to."{{cite news |title='Elitism' holds back working-class women from acting, Culture Secretary told |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/lisa-nandy-culture-secretary-rada-merseyside-osborne-b2710010.html |access-date=24 April 2025 |work=The Independent}}
Since 2023, she has been in a relationship with accountant Adam Seel.
Career
Smith made her acting debut in a production of Gypsy at the Garrick Theatre in 2014. Two years later, she sang at A Night at the Musicals on West End theatre.{{cite web |title=Isabelle Smith |url=https://app.spotlight.com/3033-1200-9904 |publisher=Spotlight |access-date=24 April 2025}} In 2022, she made her television debut as Sonya on the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street.{{cite news |title=ITV Coronation Street fans think they know Sonya star as Max actor Paddy Bever sends her sweet message |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/itv-coronation-street-fans-think-24279928 |access-date=24 April 2025 |work=Manchester Evening News}} She appeared in three episodes as a love interest for Max Turner (Paddy Bever).{{cite news |title=Coronation Street fans predict heartbreaking Max twist as they 'work out' Sonya's real identity |url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/coronation-street-fans-predict-heartbreaking-7179878 |access-date=24 April 2025 |work=Plymouth Herald}} A year later, she appeared in an episode of ITV1's Maternal.
In January 2024, Smith began appearing in the regular role of Frankie Osborne on the Channel 4 soap opera.{{cite web |title=The Arden Alumni Joins cast of Hollyoaks |date=15 December 2023 |url=https://www.ucenmanchester.ac.uk/news/the-arden-alumni-joins-hollyoaks/ |publisher=Arden School of Theatre |access-date=24 April 2025}} Smith filmed for an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors that aired in October 2024, marking her third soap role. She portrayed Bea Reynolds, a teenager who killed her sister.{{cite news |title=Doctors spoilers: Rob investigates a MURDER MYSTERY! |url=https://www.whattowatch.com/spoilers/doctors-spoilers-rob-investigates-a-murder-mystery |access-date=24 April 2025 |work=What to Watch}} Shortly into Smith's tenure on Hollyoaks, she was featured at the centre of a storyline about sibling sexual abuse, with JJ Osborne (Ryan Mulvey) abusing Smith's character.{{cite web |title=Spotlight behind Hollyoaks sibling sexual abuse (SSA) storyline |date=25 April 2024 |url=https://www.sarsas.org.uk/spotlight-behind-hollyoaks-sibling-sexual-abuse-ssa-storyline/ |publisher=SARSAS |access-date=24 April 2025 |archive-date=14 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250414131552/https://www.sarsas.org.uk/spotlight-behind-hollyoaks-sibling-sexual-abuse-ssa-storyline/ |url-status=live }} For her portrayal of Frankie, she was nominated for numerous accolades, including winning the Best Newcomer award at the Inside Soap Awards and being nominated for Best Leading Performer at the upcoming 2025 British Soap Awards.{{cite news |title=British Soap Awards public vote nominations 2025 – full list |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/british-soap-awards-public-vote-nominations-2025-newsupdate/ |access-date=24 April 2025 |work=Radio Times}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2020
| Real Voices | Sacha | Short film |
| 2021
| The Eighteenth Silence | Bailey | Film |
| 2021
| Indecision | Paige Shuman | Short film |
| 2022
| Sonya | Recurring role |
| 2023
| Maternal | Jenny Thompson | 1 episode |
| 2023
| Kiss | Carley | Short film |
| 2024
| Ridley | Donna Burnside | 1 episode |
| 2024–present
| Regular role |
| 2024
| Doctors | Episode: "Little Triggers" |
Stage
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|12525137}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Isabelle}}
Category:21st-century English actresses
Category:Actresses from Ashton-under-Lyne
Category:Alumni of Arden School of Theatre
Category:English child actresses
Category:English film actresses
Category:English soap opera actresses
Category:English stage actresses