Isabel was born in Melbourne, Australia. Her father is Australian and her mother is Swiss. Her family lived in Switzerland, Melbourne, Jabiru, a small mining town in the Northern Territory, and Cairns, Australia. Along with her sister, Nina, she attended schools that included First Nations children as well as children from other cultures. Isabel currently lives in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia.

Isabel was involved in drama already during her time at school. She went on to study drama at the Victorian College of Arts, Queensland University of Technology, and more recently studied the PEM Method (Perdekamp Emotional Method). She never auditioned for roles until she was discovered by her agent in 2002. She auditioned for part on Home and Away (1988). The producers felt she wasn't right for the part but were sufficiently impressed and created a new role for her, Tasha. She spent 3 years playing her first television role and won a Logie Award (for new popular talent) for her performance.

In 2008, Isabel moved to Los Angeles. Her breakthrough role came in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009). Since then she starred in numerous US and Australian productions and won several awards. - Recently, Isabel played a role in award-winning "Bosh & Rockit" ("Ocean Boy"), a film that is fast becoming an Australian classic, and in the soon-to-be-released thriller, "Lunacy". Isabel also recently wrapped "Sons of Summer" and is in pre-production for the role of Marie Curie in "Radiant", with award-winning writer/director Annika Glac.

Isabel is a keen animal rights supporter and has worked with many environmental organizations. She has been a proud Patron/Ambassador for Melbourne's Human Rights and Arts Film Festival (HRAFF) for the past 10 years (up to 2020). Known for her ethical, eco-conscious interests and her commitment to social justice, Isabel became the brand ambassador and face of several fashion and cosmetics campaigns.