Meet Isabella Esler, a Colombian-American actress from San Jose, California, making waves in the theater scene. The 18-year-old Latina has been stealing the spotlight for over a decade now, starting her journey at San Jose’s Children’s Musical Theater (CMT). Regarding her early beginnings, Esler told a hometown newspaper: “I’ve always loved music and singing. And when I was 6, my parents thought, ‘Oh, let’s try theater.’ They put me in a CMT show, and I just never stopped.”
Since then, Isabella has showcased her versatility, from belting out tunes as Sandy Cheeks in CMT’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” musical to headlining in shows like “Once Upon a Mattress” and “American Idiot.” Her big break came unexpectedly when she sent an audition tape for “Beetlejuice” just for fun. To her surprise, a few months later, the producers called her for the national tour.
She shared “I literally saw the show on TikTok, that’s how I first found out about it. I saw a casting call on TikTok, which is so funny. I sent in some tapes and over time I ended up doing callbacks for the tour.”
“It was a year-long process and now I’m here. Everyone’s so talented, it’s insane. For a show that I’ve been listening to for so long, it’s crazy that now I get to be on stage with this great cast.”
With that role, her path took a significant turn, propelling her from local theater to stages across the country. Introduced to “Beetlejuice” by her parents, the film became her gateway to a national Broadway show, featuring her talent as she stepped into the iconic role of Lydia Deetz, made famous by Winona Ryder. This young Latina is now forging her own path and leaving an indelible mark on the theatrical landscape.
HOLA! USA had the opportunity to interview this rising talent about her journey in musical theater, her inspiration, and some fun facts about this Gen Zer who is certainly deserving of the spotlight as she embarks on her promising career.
Bonus - Fun Facts!
5 things that most people don’t know about....
Favorite food:
I love sushi! Specifically a Caterpillar roll. I also love Mexican food.
I have so many favorite Colombian foods. Arepas, Pan de Bono, Obleas, and my all-time favorite Chocolate con queso (which I have seen people call it chocolate Santafereño)
Guilty pleasure
I can be on my computer playing the Sims 4 for hours
Funniest moment in your acting career
I have had so many funny moments throughout this tour. There have been many times when things go off script because there are so many improv opportunities to the point where the audience gets involved and then basically everyone onstage is fully laughing.
The most recent funny mishap was a couple of days ago where I was supposed to jump off a couch in one of the numbers and I tripped on the couch and almost fell to the floor. It was only me and one other person on stage so everyone in the audience definitely saw me do that and just having that idea in my head made me break multiple times.
Hobbies
drawing, recently getting into reading, matcha enthusiast haha
A song you like so much you can play over and over
Put your records on by Corinne Bailey Rae