Up-and-coming star Isla Colbert plays 7-year-old Idalia in the drama limited series From Scratch.
Netflix’s latest heartbreaking series From Scratch has had audiences getting all kinds of emotional. Based on a true story, the drama series is inspired by Tembi Locke’s memoir of the same name. It premiered on October 21, 2022.
It follows an American woman, Amy Wheeler (Zoe Saldana), who falls in love with Sicilian chef Lino Ortolano (Eugenio Mastrandrea). But when the chef falls ill, their two families come together to face a hard time.
Child actress Colbert is no stranger to television and has previously appeared playing the role of a child in the action-drama television series Station 19, created by Stacy McKee for ABC. It premiered on March 22, 2018.
Isla has always been passionate and dedicated to acting. She is a keen learner and can easily make everyone fall for her charm and pleasing appearance. Besides being an actress, she is also a child model who started her career at an early age.
Meet 7-Year-Old Child Star Isla Colbert
Isla Colbert is 7 years old American actress, model, and gymnast based in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Isla is repped by Zuri Agency: Youth and Love Talent Agency (Commercial). She has also been a face of several child clothing brands such as Gap Kids, Target, Nike Sportswear, Esprit Kids, Matilda Jane Clothing, and Bella Dahl.
People first noticed the child star with her debut appearance as a child in the fifth season of Station 19 in the episode titled “A House Is Not A Home.” She played alongside Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, and Grey Damon.
It is the second spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy after the medical drama series Private Practice. It centers on the lives of the men and women at Seattle Fire Station 19. Nida Khurshid, Phillip Garcia, Vivien Lyra Blair, and Jesse Williams have also played in Station 19.
Isla then appeared as Community Camper in the 2022 movie Motorvation, written and directed by Angus Benfield. The child star played alongside Benfield, Cammy Brickell, Christopher Wiehl, Lance Bonza, Ryan O’Quinn, and Donal Watson. It was released on January 5.
From Scratch: Isla Colbert On-Screen Parents
Isla Colbert’s on-screen parents are played by actors Zoe Saldana and Eugenio Mastrandrea.
She has a recurring guest star role as Idalia, a 7-year-old adopted daughter of Amy and Lino in From Scratch.
She had an amazing time filming for the Netflix series in both Los Angeles and Italy. The role required that she learn Italian and she did an incredible job. Isla worked with amazing people, including Eugenio Mastrandrea, Zoe Saldana, and Reese Witherspoon.
Colbert’s on-screen character Idalia’s real name is Zoela Gullo, the real-life daughter of Tembi (reel-life Amy) and Saro Gullo (reel-life Lino). Additionally, Zoela chose her own on-screen name for the heart-wrenching television series.
Meet Isla’s Reel-Life Mother Amy Wheeler (Zoe Saldana)
Actress Zoe Saldana portrays American woman Amy Wheeler, based on the real Tembi Locke. Locke has said that she changed the characters’ names to create a psychic distance between the real characters and those on screen.
Saldana has played in three of the five highest-grossing films of all time -Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, and Avengers: Infinity War. Grossing over $11 billion worldwide, she became the second-highest-grossing film actress of all time as of 2019.
A professional dancer, Zoe started her acting career appearing in two episodes of Law & Order in 1999. She earned her first film role in the teen drama Center Stage (2000), directed by Nicholas Hytner. She portrayed a ballet dancer.
She received early recognition for her work opposite renowned singer Britney Spears in the 2002 teen drama road film Crossroads. Zoe achieved her career breakthrough with her role as Neytiri in the Avatar film series and Nyota Uhuru in the Star Trek film series.
Isla’s Reel-Life Father Lino Ortolano (Eugenio Mastrandrea)
Italian actor Eugenio Mastrandrea plays the role of the dreamy Sicilian chef Lino Ortolano. She serves as a rock for Amy Wheeler as she confronts new and challenging chapters in her life.
However, their happy days turn upside down when Lino is diagnosed with heart-wrenching cancer.
The on-screen character Lino is based on Tembi Locke’s real-life husband Saro Gullo who passed away in 2012, ten years after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called leiomyosarcoma.
Eugenio gives a swoon-worthy performance that brings Tembi’s real-life husband, Saro, to the small screen. Though From Scratch is the actor’s American debut, he has already booked himself next big Hollywood role.
Born in Rome, 28-year-old Eugenio graduated from the lauded Silvio D’amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts of Rome. He has performed in various plays directed by Robert Wilson and Emma Dante. Moreover, he starred in the film A.C.A.B. (2012), and the RAI series La Fuggitiva.
While the role of Lino required him to speak Italian, Sicilian, and English, in real life Eugenio is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian. In a Tudum interview, he opened up about being connected with the character upon reading the From Scratch script.