Isabella Inchbald graduated from Drama Studio London in 2017 having successfully completed the two-year diploma course. She was nominated for Best Performance in a Leading Role at the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards, playing the eponymous character in Indika. We spoke to Isabella about how her training at DSL helped her get to where she is.
How did your voice journey start?
It all really began with Carleton Hobbs in 2017. I was on the team at DSL and received fantastic training from two of the school’s radio teachers at the time – Tracy Wiles and Carl Prekopp. My teammate, Adam Fitzgerald, and I went on to win the award and so on graduation, we started a five-month contract with the BBC Radio Rep Company – still one of the most exciting and varied jobs I’ve had to this day!
Or perhaps my voice journey really began when I was a child, reading bedtime stories to my younger sister!
You have lent your voice to radio dramas and video games. Have you found much of a difference in acting in those and, if so, what?
Yes – with radio, you’re almost always in the room with the other actors, reacting to each other’s physical energies as much as their vocal performance. Whereas in games, although you sometimes record with another actor, I’ve found you almost always record separately. The director guiding you towards the same tone as the other actors takes more trust from you as a performer, as it’s so much more difficult to gauge that on your own.
Could you describe Indika?
Indika is a third-person, story-driven game set in alternative Russia at the turn of the XIX century, where religious visions clash with harsh reality. It tells the story of a young nun who sets off on a journey of self-discovery with the most unusual companion by her side – the devil himself.
How did you find out about Indika?
I think my agent was contacted by one of SIDE’s casting directors and I was asked to do an audition over Zoom. I was on holiday in Montenegro at the time and so did it from my hotel room!
Did you ever think you would be nominated for such a significant award while making Indika?
The thought never crossed my mind! Once we got into the recording of it, the VO team and I certainly recognised that it was a very unique and interesting game, but never did I think that I would be up for a BAFTA for it!
What was your favourite class when you studied at DSL?
Ooh gosh, that’s a tough one. There were very few classes I didn’t like! The variety of classes was what was amazing – just like being an actor really. The variety of work we do is one of the things that keeps it exciting!
How have you put your DSL training into practice in your work?
I don’t necessarily use everything but that’s partly because some of it was very specialised in certain types of work that I haven’t done professionally yet; and also, I think part of the drama school journey is being given a variety of techniques and rituals that you can mould to work for you. Every actor is different! Off the top of my head, I certainly put my radio, speech, text analysis and stagecraft training to good use.
Thanks so much for your time, Isabella, and congratulations on your nomination.
Indika is available to play on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.