Born in 1976 to Scottish parents in the Middle Eastern country of Oman, her family moved to Australia in the early 1980s. From a young age Isla showed an interest in both acting and writing. At nine years old she was appearing in Australian TV commercials. She landed some small parts in the Australian TV series Bay Cove (aka "Bay City"). This led to a bigger part in the series Paradise Beach. When that show ended she landed a role in the long-running Australian soap opera Home and Away. While working on that show she indulged in another of her passions, writing, and published two best-selling novels, "Seduced By Fame" and "Bewitched". In 1997 she was picked by the readers of FHM magazine as #35 on the list of the "100 Sexiest Women in the World", and in 2003 she placed 26th.
Raised in Australia, currently lives in England. Is a natural redhead but wore a blonde wig for Scooby-Doo because Sarah Michelle Gellar was supposed to be the only redhead in the film. Was once engaged to Darren Day. Despite being born in Oman, an Arab country, both of her parents are Scottish. Her first job was as a lottery ad extra. She was so excited that she hyperventilated for four hours and nearly fainted. Her mother is a romance novelist. Engaged to Da Ali G Show star Sacha Baron Cohen. Stepsister of Conor Reid. Grew up in Perth, Western Australia. Her first name is pronounced Eye-Lah. Ranked #91 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list. Daughter, Olive Cohen, was born 17 October, 2007 with fiancé Sacha Baron Cohen.