Isla Johnston: Powerful Rise, Age, Career, The Queen’s Gambit and Joan of Arc
Isla Johnston is a young British actress best known for playing Young Beth Harmon in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit. After beginning her screen career as a child, she appeared in projects including Invasion, Life After Life and The Carpenter’s Son. Her career has entered another major phase after she was selected to play Joan of Arc in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming film Jehanne d’Arc.
Johnston has also started attracting attention beyond film and television. In 2026, luxury fashion house LOEWE identified her as a brand ambassador, while Screen International included her among its 2026 UK and Ireland Stars of Tomorrow.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Isla Johnston |
| Profession | Actress |
| Nationality | British |
| Age | 19, as reported in September 2026 |
| Grew Up | Suffolk, England |
| Known For | Young Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit |
| Other TV Work | Invasion, Life After Life, Dept. Q Season 2 |
| Film Work | The Carpenter’s Son, Visitation, Vibrations |
| Upcoming Major Role | Joan of Arc in Jehanne d’Arc |
| Fashion Work | LOEWE brand ambassador |
Johnston was described as 19 years old by Screen International in September 2026. Some online biography sites give conflicting dates for her birth, so claims about a precise birthday should be treated cautiously unless confirmed by Johnston or her representatives.
Who Is Isla Johnston?
Isla Johnston is an English screen actress whose career began with small television roles before The Queen’s Gambit brought her much wider recognition. Her professional representation lists work across Netflix, Apple, BBC and Channel 4 productions, as well as several film projects.
Unlike many performers who move immediately from a successful child role into a long run of new projects, Johnston temporarily placed greater focus on school after The Queen’s Gambit. She later completed A-levels in drama, art history and history before deciding to give acting her full attention again. British Vogue reported that she received an A* in drama.
That decision has been followed by increasingly prominent screen and fashion opportunities.
Isla Johnston’s Early Life in Suffolk
Johnston grew up on a farm in Suffolk in the East of England. Her family farm produced crops including wheat, barley, rapeseed and sugar beet. Her mother had previously worked as a model in New York before returning to Britain, while her father works in IT. She also has a younger brother.
Her interest in performance developed at a young age. A Shakespeare Schools Festival programme gave Johnston an early opportunity to act on stage, and she played Lady Macbeth in a school production. St John’s College School later confirmed that the production took place through a drama outreach programme at Gislingham Primary School.
She also grew up riding horses, an experience that has become especially relevant as she prepares to portray Joan of Arc. Screen International reported in September 2026 that Johnston had ridden horses throughout her life.
How Isla Johnston Started Acting
Johnston’s early professional screen work included Fiona in the Channel 4 drama Kiri in 2018, followed by an appearance as Sarah Kemp in the BBC series Doctors in 2019. Her acting representation currently lists both projects among her television credits.
Her interest in professional acting had started even earlier. British Vogue reported that she attended an audition for Jurassic World when she was eight. She did not get the part, but the experience helped lead her family toward finding professional representation.
The project that transformed her public profile came soon afterward.
The Queen’s Gambit and Young Beth Harmon
Isla Johnston’s breakthrough role was Young Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit, the Netflix miniseries created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott, with Frank directing all seven episodes.
Johnston played Beth during the character’s childhood, while Anya Taylor-Joy portrayed the older Beth. Her scenes establish important parts of the character’s early story, including her childhood in an orphanage and her discovery of chess.
Her professional credits list Johnston as Young Beth, and IMDb records appearances in four episodes of the 2020 series.
British Vogue reported that Johnston was only about 11 when she secured the role. She even agreed to have her hair cut and coloured for the character rather than relying entirely on a wig. After the series became a major success, she received more audition opportunities but chose to concentrate on school for a period.
That choice helps explain why her filmography did not immediately expand at the same speed as her visibility after The Queen’s Gambit.
Invasion and Life After Life
Johnston continued building her television career as Lucy in Apple TV+ series Invasion in 2021. Her representation lists the project alongside director Jakob Verbruggen and Apple.
She followed that with the BBC adaptation of Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life in 2022. Johnston played Ursula Todd at age 10, while Thomasin McKenzie portrayed the older Ursula. Johnston appeared across all four episodes of the limited series.
These roles gave her experience in very different genres: science fiction with Invasion and literary period drama with Life After Life.
Isla Johnston’s Movies and Film Roles
Johnston has gradually expanded from television into film.
She played Blanche in the 2024 short film Vibrations. She was then cast as The Stranger in The Carpenter’s Son, a supernatural horror film directed by Lotfy Nathan and starring Nicolas Cage, Noah Jupe and FKA twigs. Magnolia Pictures describes Johnston’s character as a mysterious figure who draws the young central character into the story’s supernatural conflict.
Another project is Nicolas Pesce’s Visitation. Johnston’s representation lists her as Maria, while production company Keeper Pictures said the film stars Johnston alongside Olivia Cooke, Alfie Allen, Penelope Wilton and Stephen Rea. Filming was completed in Ireland in 2023.
Isla Johnston Film and TV Credits
| Year | Project | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Kiri | Fiona |
| 2019 | Doctors | Sarah Kemp |
| 2020 | The Queen’s Gambit | Young Beth Harmon |
| 2020 | Unmourned | Cara |
| 2021 | Invasion | Lucy |
| 2022 | Life After Life | Young Ursula |
| 2024 | Vibrations | Blanche |
| 2025 | The Carpenter’s Son | The Stranger |
| Upcoming | Visitation | Maria |
| Upcoming | Dept. Q Season 2 | Agnes |
| Upcoming | Jehanne d’Arc | Joan of Arc |
Her current agency profile confirms most of these credits, including Visitation, Dept. Q Season 2 and Jehanne d’Arc.
Isla Johnston as Joan of Arc in Jehanne d’Arc
The most significant announced lead role of Johnston’s career is Joan of Arc in Baz Luhrmann’s Jehanne d’Arc.
The Warner Bros.-backed historical film is being developed by Luhrmann with screenwriter Ava Pickett. British Vogue reported that Johnston went through an unusual audition process involving both classical material and contemporary writing before being selected for the role.
The role also demands considerable physical preparation. Johnston’s existing horse-riding experience is useful, while the production will require further preparation for riding, fighting and the physical demands of portraying Joan in battle.
As of September 2026, Screen International reported that Johnston was preparing extensively for the film and that shooting was expected to take place in 2027.
It represents a major change from playing younger versions of central characters: Johnston will now carry a large historical production in the title role.
Dept. Q Season 2
Johnston is also joining Netflix’s Dept. Q for Season 2, playing a character named Agnes.
Production on the second season began in Edinburgh in June 2026, with Johnston announced among the new cast members. Her agency profile also lists the project as Dept Q S2, with Scott Frank directing.
The role further reconnects Johnston with Frank, who also directed her as Young Beth in The Queen’s Gambit.
Isla Johnston and LOEWE
Johnston’s growing profile is not limited to acting.
LOEWE officially described her as a brand ambassador in its Fall/Winter 2026 precollection campaign. She appeared alongside Eva Victor, Levon Hawke and Seydou Sarr in photographs by Talia Chetrit.
She had already appeared in LOEWE’s Spring/Summer 2026 campaign, showing that her emerging public image now crosses film, television and fashion.
Her inclusion in Screen International’s 2026 Stars of Tomorrow selection adds another recent milestone. The programme chose her as one of ten actors in its UK and Ireland group that year.
How Old Is Isla Johnston?
One reason information about Isla Johnston can be confusing online is that biography websites do not agree on her exact birth date.
A more reliable current reference is Screen International, which described Johnston as 19 years old on September 22, 2026. British Vogue had described her as 18 in September 2025. Those two contemporary profiles are consistent with each other, but neither provides a confirmed full birth date.
For that reason, an exact birthday commonly repeated on celebrity database sites should not automatically be presented as confirmed fact.
Isla Johnston’s Family and Personal Life
Johnston has discussed parts of her upbringing but has kept much of her private life outside the public spotlight.
What is documented is that she was raised in a farming family in Suffolk with a younger brother. Her mother previously worked as a model, and her father works in IT.
Reliable interviews focus much more heavily on her education, rural childhood, acting and preparation for future roles than on her romantic relationships. There is therefore no good reason to treat unsupported claims about a boyfriend or dating history as established information.
Where Isla Johnston’s Career Stands in 2026
By 2026, Johnston has moved well beyond being known only as the younger Beth Harmon.
Her recent work includes a feature-film role in The Carpenter’s Son, a part in Dept. Q Season 2, campaigns for LOEWE and preparation to play Joan of Arc for Baz Luhrmann. Her selection as one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow also reflects the increased industry attention around her current work.
The next major test of that progression will be Jehanne d’Arc. Instead of portraying the childhood version of another lead character, Johnston will be at the centre of the film herself.
Also Read: Rosie Sheehy: The Remarkable Rise of an Olivier-Nominated Actress
FAQ
How old is Isla Johnston?
Isla Johnston was 19 years old as of September 2026, according to Screen International. Exact birth dates published on biography websites conflict, so a specific day and month should not be treated as confirmed without a reliable primary source.
Who did Isla Johnston play in The Queen’s Gambit?
Isla Johnston played Young Beth Harmon, the childhood version of the chess prodigy later portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy. She appeared in four episodes of the Netflix miniseries.
Is Isla Johnston playing Joan of Arc?
Yes. Johnston has been cast as Joan of Arc in Baz Luhrmann’s Jehanne d’Arc. Screen International reported in September 2026 that she was preparing for the role and that filming was expected in 2027.
What movies and TV shows has Isla Johnston appeared in?
Her credits include Kiri, Doctors, The Queen’s Gambit, Invasion, Life After Life, Vibrations and The Carpenter’s Son. She is also attached to Visitation, Dept. Q Season 2 and Jehanne d’Arc.
Is Isla Johnston in Dept. Q Season 2?
Yes. Johnston joined the second season of Netflix’s Dept. Q as Agnes. Production began in Edinburgh in June 2026.
What is Isla Johnston’s net worth?
There is no reliable public source confirming Isla Johnston’s net worth. Figures published by unsourced celebrity-net-worth websites should therefore be treated as estimates rather than verified financial information.
