Isla Fisher: Perth-raised star ready for her next chapter after ‘tough years' with Sacha Baron Cohen split

West Australian

4 days ago

Following her divorce from Sacha Baron Cohen, Perth-raised Isla Fisher is embracing her next move in a career that's seen her tackle countless genres and multiple continents.
The 49-year-old was born in Oman to Scottish parents, then spent her early life in Cambridge in the UK, before her family emigrated to Perth when she was six.
In a recent interview with
Harpers Bazar
, Fisher elaborates on her childhood in Perth and how she considers herself Australian at heart.
'I definitely have a complicated cultural identity because I ended up becoming friends with everyone from all these different backgrounds,' she told Harpers Bazar.
'I feel like a citizen of the world, but Australia is ultimately where I'm the happiest, because my most influential years were spent in Perth.'
Fisher attended Perth's Methodist Ladies' College and discovered her passion for acting as a teen; she featured in local TV ads and children's series
Bay City
and
Clowning Around
before securing her first major role as Shannon Reed on
Home and Away
in 1994.
After stepping away from TV and pursuing further training at l'École Internationale de Théâtre in Paris, she dabbled in theatre and the 'horrible' audition circuit before she made her Hollywood debut as Shaggy's love interest in
Scooby Doo
.
Once established in Hollywood, Fisher built a diverse career, earning acclaim in comedies like
Confessions of a Shopaholic
, thrillers like
Now You See Me
, and dramas such as Baz Lurhman's
The Great Gatsby
which Fisher notes was a career highlight.
'Baz was my best experience ever for so many reasons – because of the scale of the sets, the attention to detail visually,' she said.
When asked what advice she would give to her 20-year-old self, Fisher alluded to the self-doubt she faced early in her career.
'In my twenties, I don't know if it was homesickness or just life challenges, but I used to cry a lot. I was so worried that I wasn't going to meet anybody or get a job that I wanted. So, I would tell [her], 'Don't worry. It all works out,'' she said.
When considering future roles, Fisher is hoping to push herself out of her comfort zone to avoid slipping into being typecast.
'If you do a certain job and you nail that character, every time a character that's similar to that [comes up], a casting director will think of you. Now my goal is to be more fearless around my choices and to push myself into areas where there's room for growth,' Fisher reflects.
Fisher's personal life has been in the spotlight for the past few years following her split from actor Sacha Baron Cohen in 2023, after 14 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalised in June, though they have emphasised their mutual respect and commitment to co‑parenting their three children.
'I've had a tough couple of years, but I'm making it through,' remarks Fisher.
'I'm really excited for the next chapter. I'm refocusing on my career, because previously I was very much focused on my kids, which I still am, obviously, because (they're) my true love. But I'm enjoying tackling work again.'
Fisher says she's embracing the huge change that comes with the challenge of moving forward post-divorce.
'That's been one of the benefits of a challenging situation: the luxury of asking myself, '
What would I like to do professionally and privately?'
I'm trying to remind myself of my new identity as somebody outside of a partnership and to stay as buoyant as possible. Any time there's change, it's hard to adapt. But hopefully I'm doing an okay job, ' she said.