Isla Fisher Longs For Vegemite

Isla - born in Oman to Scottish parents and raised in Australia with her brothers - started acting aged 12.

The Australian-raised actress - who divides her time between Los Angeles and London - says the savoury spread and the smell of sun cream are the home comforts she misses most.

She said: "I miss Australia - my friends, the beaches, the smell of sun cream and, of course, Vegemite! I have a dream I'll go back there one day. The people have such a positive attitude."

Isla - born in Oman to Scottish parents and raised in Australia with her brothers - started acting aged 12, and says it was her challenging siblings that pushed her to take the leap.

She told Cosmopolitan magazine: "I was desperate to get away from my brothers! And I hope they read this. They were so naughty - they used to give me such a tough time. You know what it's like growing up in a house of teenage boys… well, I actually have six brothers because my mum remarried, but growing up I had two.

"And they used to tease me the whole time, mostly about the way I looked - I was small and had red hair. When I was on People magazine's Most Beautiful People list last year, I phoned my brother up and said, 'See, my ears aren't that big!' "

Isla, whose acting career began in 1994 in Australian TV show 'Home and Away', is delighted with her Hollywood success, but there is still one thing she wishes she could change.

The diminutive star said: "I'm fortunate enough to be in a place I always hoped to get to - seriously, I'm as surprised as anyone to be on a movie poster. My only disappointment is that I haven't grown any taller!"