BELLA, BELLISSIMA!
YOU talks to charismatic South African tween Isabella Alexandras, who’s taking the modelling world by storm and has set her sights on acting
BY CHERYL POOL
but I’m not allowed to talk about them yet,” she says. She does say that representatives from Disney in the US contacted her agent recently, “but unfortunately due to Covid- 19 everything has slowed down. So I must wait to see what happens”. Bella is the driving force behind her achievements – her parents support her but take a back seat. “I asked them to get me into TV but they never did,” she tells us. “So I’d set up my tablet and film myself pretending to have my own TV show. I always thought camera stuff was rad. “Catriona Andrew [of M-Net’s Egoli] is my good friend Kenzi’s mom. I admire her and [model] Lee-Ann Liebenberg. I was fascinated with TV and modelling. “In Portugal my confidence was low because I missed my friends back home, so my mom finally gave in and took me to an agent. “My first campaign was for Apple iPhone in the US. But my big break came when Eugène Chakhanovitch discovered me at London Fashion Week. He works with top kids’ brands such as Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld, DKNY and Chloé.
“Later I found out that Los Angeles managers are best at getting you noticed by top talent agents. Mr Steve Owens was on my radar – he manages 22 actors and has produced 43 platinum and gold records, including Michael Jackson’s.”
So she “stalked” him by contacting him on Instagram every day for a year, she admits.
“I wanted to prove myself and he eventually signed me. I’m the first kid client he has taken on in more than 25 years.
“Then [talent agency] Miles Anthony Associates signed me. Mr Miles thinks I could be the next Millie Bobby Brown and has been sending me on cool auditions.
“I’m also so lucky casting director Lisa London coaches me in acting. She discovered and cast Miley Cyrus, Jonah Hill, Selena Gomez and Emma Stone. Miss Lisa helps me break down a script and find my character’s nuances for my auditions.”
How does she juggle all this with schoolwork?
“My parents made a deal with me – if my grades fall then we drop acting and modelling. Sometimes I do homework on set while waiting for the director to call me. If I’m on set for more than three days, production gives me a set teacher.”
SELLA has 102 000 followers on her Instagram account, which has played a role in her burgeoning success. It’s where she connected with Chanel model Faith Lynch, who’s become her mentor. “She started out young too so it’s cool to have her in my corner,” she says.
So is the Bella we see on screen the same behind the scenes? “If you ever see me in a dark movie, that will not really be me. But on Instagram, especially in my stories, I keep it real. I love horse-riding, camping, tech and writing my own music.
“I play guitar and a bit of piano. I spend time with friends and my three rescue cats, Kiki, Troy and Grace. I also go camping and skateboarding. I’m an outdoors girl.
“My biggest dream is to win an Academy Award, but the most important thing to me is being a role model.”
When the pandemic started, she raised almost €2 000 (now R37 000) for the United Nations Foundation Covid relief fund by selling clothes she’d worn either on photoshoots, at fashion shows or on red carpets. “In time, I’d like to mentor kids who are big dreamers and support those with disabilities.”
The best advice she has ever received is from Ira Sachs, the director of the movie Frankie starring Marisa Tomei. Bella was lucky enough to observe some of the scenes being filmed on location in Portugal and will always remember what “Mr Ira” told her.
“He said, ‘Bella, always remember this: talent will get you through the door, but character is what keeps you in the room’.”
‘My parents say I’d point at the TV and say I wanted to live inside it’