Isabel Oliver Marcus

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Isabel grew up within walking distance of the Alamo and the River Walk in a small house under a big pecan tree. Reared in a lively neighborhood that featured a community of visual artists, writers, and performers, as well as immigrants, working people, and professionals, Isabel had a variety of personalities to use as role models for the characters she would create in her backyard. With three giant boxes of costumes her mother had collected from thrift stores, Isabel (an only child) constructed other characters by putting costumes on sticks and flowerpots and forced her family to watch her performances.She spent her elementary and middle school years at San Antonio's arts and language charter school, Bonham Academy, where she learned Spanish and starred in numerous productions of its award-winning theater program. She won every performance competition she entered in San Antonio, including play festivals and Texas school competitions.When she was 11 years old she participated in a casting showcase in Austin, Texas, where representatives from Los Angeles agencies as well as Texas agencies saw her work: Of the 20 LA-based agencies in attendance, 18 expressed an interest in representing her. Texas agencies were less enthusiastic. That summer, Isabel and her mom packed their bags for California and started a three-year annual temporary residency. They lived in Los Angeles for 3-4 months each year, familiarizing themselves with the city and the industry, and returned to San Antonio for the bulk of the school year each year so that Isabel could spend time with her father. During those years she appeared in student films, music videos, and a variety of works that often never made it out of post-production.Isabel stayed in San Antonio through the first two years of high school, where she studied musical theater at North East School of the Arts. In 2016 she relocated permanently to Los Angeles to complete her high school years. A succession of lead roles for independent and student projects followed.While on vacation in Mexico, Isabel's remarkable hair color attracted the attention of a photographer and by age 8 she had appeared in advertising for Photo District News and in Hallmark Magazine. Show less «