Isabelle Smith

Isabelle Smith is an English actress. She made her acting debut in a stage production of Gypsy, before going on to make minor appearances in British television series including Coronation Street and Maternal. Then, in 2024, she appeared in the BBC soap opera Doctors, as well as being cast in the regular role of Frankie Osborne on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. For her role as Frankie, she has received nominations for various accolades, as well as winning Best Newcomer at the Inside Soap Awards.

Early and personal life Smith attended Fairfield High School for Girls in Droylsden, before going on to attend Ashton Sixth Form College from 2018 to 2020. At the latter, she studied drama, photography and history for her A-levels. Then, from 2020 to 2023, she studied at the Arden School of Theatre, where she attained a BA degree. She has since been vocal on her thoughts of the acting industry being "elitist" and holding working-class women back from acting. She stated: "people have paid to go to private school, or to RADA or whatever, you're constantly having to prove yourself into every room that you’re going into, because you've maybe not had the same education as other people that you (are) sat next to."

Since 2023, she has been in a relationship with accountant Adam Seel. In 2022, she made her television debut as Sonya on the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. She appeared in three episodes as a love interest for Max Turner (Paddy Bever). A year later, she appeared in an episode of ITV1's Maternal. Smith filmed for an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors that aired in October 2024, marking her third soap role. Shortly into Smith's tenure on Hollyoaks, she was featured at the centre of a storyline about sibling sexual abuse, with JJ Osborne (Ryan Mulvey) abusing Smith's character. For her portrayal of Frankie, she was nominated for numerous accolades, including winning the Best Newcomer award at the Inside Soap Awards and being nominated for Best Leading Performer at the upcoming 2025 British Soap Awards. In July 2025, it was reported that Smith would also portray Frankie in the Hollyoaks late-night special Hollyoaks Later for the soap's 30th anniversary, which was broadcast on 22 October of that year.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2020 Real Voices Sacha Short film 2021 The Eighteenth Silence Bailey Film 2021 Indecision Paige Shuman Short film 2022 Coronation Street Sonya Recurring role 2023 Maternal Jenny Thompson 1 episode 2023 Kiss Carley Short film 2024 Ridley Donna Burnside 1 episode 2024–present Hollyoaks Frankie Osborne Regular role 2024 Doctors Bea Reynolds Episode: "Little Triggers" 2025 Hollyoaks Later Frankie Osborne Late night special

Stage Year Title Role Venue 2014 Gypsy Baby Louise Garrick Theatre 2016 A Night at the Musicals Singer West End 2020 Real Voices Sacha Act4TV

Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Category Nominated work Result 2024 I Talk Telly Awards Best Soap Newcomer Hollyoaks Best Soap Performance Inside Soap Awards Best Newcomer TVTimes Awards Favourite Soap Actor 2025 TV Choice Awards Best Soap Newcomer British Soap Awards Best Dramatic Performance Best Leading Performer Best Newcomer Digital Spy Reader Awards Best Soap Actor