2009 was the year Isabel Lucas came to the attention of Hollywood, led by a memorable performance in blockbuster Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen. Isabel has followed a long line of young Australian actors and actresses who have crossed the ocean to make it big in Hollywood and in 2009 she carved an identity for her own, as a shy, environmentally friendly star in the making. Alongside her big screen debut, she appeared in numerous high profile magazines including Nylon, Glamour and Vanity Fair, and was the face of a tourism campaign for her home state of Victoria. She also shot a couple of movies, and of course continued supporting her favourite charitable causes.
2009 has been a really exciting year for Isabel and her fans, and 2010 promises to be equally, if not more, fantastic for her and us! Take a look back at our Isabel highlights of 2009, and share your opinions on Izzy’s best moments of the year!
JANUARY – MAY
The start of 2009 was quiet for Isabel and she seemed to go between Los Angeles and Cairns. She attended a few events in Beverley Hills at the start of the year, and was occasionally photographed out and about at parties in her off-time. Isabel returned home to Australia around April, where she spent a few weeks shooting the family drama Kin in Melbourne. It was also announced that she would be the face of a new AU$7.3m tourism campaign for her home state of Victoria, and she spent a few days shooting those adverts. Isabel got her first major US magazine feature in the April issue of Elle as part of a ‘breakout stars’ spread, followed by inclusion in the May issue of Nylon in their ‘Fast future generation’ article. Buzz was generating about Isabel in the Transformers sequel, with many excited to see more of this sexy young Aussie starlet…
JUNE
… And June was the month for that to happen! Isabel and her Transformers co-stars kicked off the promotional tour with a premiere and press conference in Japan, and the promotion spread worldwide, with Isabel taking on duties in Sydney, Los Angeles and Miami. She wowed fashion fans with an eclectic mix of outfits at public events, including her uber-glam look in Chanel Haute Couture at the LA premiere of Transformers. Isabel was seen in print in Teen Vogue, Cleo, STM, Details, Glamour and the illustrious Vanity Fair! She also made a much-talked appearance on Rove Live in Australia – critics attacked her for being quiet and awkward, but it was clear Isabel was just shy and not used to so much attention! Transformers was hugely successful at the box office, taking over $834 worldwide, and comparisons to fellow Transformers star Megan Fox arose with bloggers around the globe debating who was hotter! “It’s so enjoyable playing a character that’s so different from yourself, because you can really go and take risks,” Isabel said about her Transformers character.
JULY
The Isabel-love continued into July, and she was Karl Lagerfeld’s special guest at the Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture A/W 2010 Chanel show, seated on the front-row with her sister Nini, next to renowned photographers Patrick Demarchelier, and Inez and Vinoodh! Impressively, she was featured in Australian and Italian Vogue in new and artsy photoshoots. New information on Izzy’s future projects Daybreakers, The Pacific and The Cove were released, and interest in The Cove and it’s underlying cause was rapidly increasing. Isabel proudly supported the movie, and attended screenings for it in Los Angeles and New York in July.
AUGUST
Isabel’s Tourism Victoria campaign advert was premiered this month, and started airing on TV screens on August 15th. The AU$7.3m dollar campaign was based around the tagline ‘Lead a double life’ and emphasised the ‘decadance and indulgence’ of the region. Gregory Hywood, the Chief Executive of the Victoria campaign, said that local girl Isabel “is the perfect match for our creative vision.” The campaign was seen in TV and print based adverts around Australia. The big news of the month though, was her casting in the re-make of 1984 political thriller Red Dawn. She joined fellow Aussie and former co-star and boyfriend Chris Hemsworth, as well as Josh Hutcherson, Connor Cruise, Josh Peck and Adrianne Palicki.
SEPTEMBER
Isabel news slowed down in the later part of the year. The Waiting City and Daybreakers both premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, although Isabel was not in attendance. Both movies received some positive reviews, and new promotional material for both were released. Isabel was now busy training for and filming Red Dawn in Michigan, and it was revealed that Izzy was going back to a blonde hair colour for her role as Erica. Isabel’s popular role of Alice in Transformers was acknowledged with a nomination for Breakout Performance Female at the 2009 Scream Awards.
OCTOBER
Miss Lucas spent the month hard at work filming Red Dawn. At the start of the month it was announced she was among a number of celebrities who would be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for the need for clean drinking water in the developing world and funds for life-saving water programs. She joined music artist Kenna, and actress Jessica Biel in the journey which was to take place at the start of the new year. Isabel fans were delighted when she won the Scream award for Breakout Performance Female for Transformers and collected the award on stage! Despite being a small role, ‘Alice’ is clearly a memorable part of the Transformers world.
NOVEMBER – DECEMBER
Things were quiet on the Isabel news front at the end of the year. She finished shooting Red Dawn, and then went into training for the Mt Kili climb. Her only public appearance was at a Pre-Ascent Event for the Mt Kili climb in the early days of December. A typically low-key end to a massive year for the low-key and down-to-earth star!
And in 2010 …
We have an Isabel-tastic start to 2010, with the release of her vampire flick Daybreakers on January 8th in the US and UK! With any lucky she’ll attend a premiere or promotional event for the movie and we’ll get another Isabel outfit to admire. With the current trend for all things vampire in film and television, and the added bonus of early reviews praising Daybreakers for having a proper storyline, there are high hopes for this movie. Around the same time, Isabel will join actress Jessica Biel, music star Kenne and other celebrities in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for charity. TV mini-series war epic The Pacific is set to air in March – although Isabel does not have a large role, it is a big project for her as it was produced by mega-stars Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. And then the Red Dawn re-make will hit screens worldwide in November, something which is sure to boost Isabel’s profile higher! The Waiting City and Kin are still awaiting release dates, and with Isabel’s current popularity new roles are sure to be popping up soon for her!
Isabel Lucas Online’s picks for the Best of 2009
Favourite Outfit
This is a toughie! Isabel got to wear a host of top designer creations in 2009, including Dior and Chanel. She showed off her Hollywood glamour style at the Transformers promotional events, and kept it casual cool at two screenings of The Cove, Australian Academy Awards Nominee Party and other smaller events. She stuck to being a brunette, although her hair was lighter at various Transformers events; she only went back to blonde at the Scream Awards as she was in the middle of shooting Red Dawn. As for a pick for favourite outfit … although we didn’t get many photos from the event, her hair and make-up were gorgeous and her outfit was chic and pretty at the Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen Japanese Press Conference. Special mentions also go to the Transformers Japanese and Los Angeles Premieres, although we admit that while the dresses are lovely, we do prefer her with less make-up!
Favourite Project
Well we don’t have much of a choice, seeing as Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen was Isabel’s only release this year! The race will be tighter next year though, as Isabel has numerous projects set for release.
Favourite Photoshoot
Another tough pick! Isabel did some stunning photoshoots in 2009, from the very sexy German GQ shoot, to the trendy laidback Elle shoot, to the cute and pretty Teen Vogue photos. My favourite photoshoot of the year would be the German GQ shoot though, as Isabel looks naturally sexy and pretty. Paris Match and Giant come in a close 2nd! And a special mention goes to the STM shoot as Isabel’s hair and make-up look perfect in them, and the photos really showcase her natural beauty.
Favourite Magazine Feature
While Miss Lucas only grabbed one cover (in her native Australia), she was featured in an array of magazines worldwide. She was included in ‘break out stars’ features in publications such as Elle and Nylon, in fashion editorials in Glamour and Aussie Vogue, and on Vanity Fair’s famous ‘Vanities’ page. Isabel Lucas Online‘s favourite magazine spread of 2009 though, goes to Italian Vogue – over 10 pages of gorgeous, glossy photos of Isabel is a sure-fire win for any fan!!
Best Moment of 2009
It has to be a tie between Isabel’s new-found recognition with movie fans and the buzz around her role in Transformers, and the success and impact of The Cove. The Cove generated a lot of publicity, and the resulting international outcry at the Taiji dolphin slaughter was thought to have played a decisive role in the town suspending their annual dolphin hunt. Certainly a proud moment for Isabel and the whole team involved in the protests and film. The documentary has also picked up a ton of awards and is a strong contender for The Oscars too. Knowing Isabel’s passion for this cause, this just tops our list of Best Isabel Moments of 2009!
And now vote for your picks for the Best of 2009!
What were your favourite Isabel moments from 2009? Vote in our polls and leave a comment HERE!
