Hollywood aw2ard for Eastbourne schoolgirl star

Eastbourne film star Isabelle Allen with director Matthew Rowney SUS-170606-143748001

The 15-year-old Moira House pupil won the accolade for best under 18 actor at the Los Angeles International Film Festival Awards and received it from film director Matthew Rowney at the school this week.

She won it for her role in Superboy: Son of Tomorrow, officially made for the 2016 Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois, based on characters from DC Comics and directed by up and coming British director Mr Rowney.

It is not the first time Isabelle has worked with Mr Rowney.

As well as Superboy: Son of Tomorrow she starred in his films as an alien in Stephen King’s I am the Doorway and in Odilo Fabian with Eastender’s actress Kacey Ainsworth, who played Little Mo in the BBC soap.

Isabelle, known as Izzy to her friends, said this week she was delighted and proud to have won the award, voted for by a closed jury in the USA.

The schoolgirl first shot to stardom when she was cast in the film adaptation of Les Miserables as the young Cosette, one of the story’s central characters who is viciously beaten and abused.

She landed the role after being spotted in a school play.

In the film, she starred alongside Russell Crowe, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Jackman and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Isabelle was also chosen as the poster girl for the film, which went on to win a handful of Oscars.

Since then she has starred in a number of films and done voiceover work.

Her latest role was as the lead character Elle in the movie of the same name, playing a ballerina.

The movie was filmed in Eastbourne, at the Devonshire Park and Royal Hippodrome theatres and on the beach by the Wish Tower as well as at other locations.

Isabelle’s next movie roles will take her overseas in the coming months.

She is to star in King Fu Princess, which goes into production soon and will be filmed in Los Angeles.

It is being directed by Martin Owen, whom Isabelle worked with on an earlier film called Let’s Be Evil.

Later this year and next, she will also travel to Sydney, Australia, for filming of Gypsy Queen.

Isabelle said she is looking forward to the year ahead.

“I will be working with people I have worked with before and I am so looking forward to seeing them again,” said the Year 10 pupil, who will take her GCSEs next year.

“It’s all very exciting.”