Isabel Lucas swaps beaches for robots

The bright lights of Tokyo are a long way from Summer Bay for former Home and Away starlet Isabel Lucas.

Lucas on Monday stepped onto the international stage with Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox and Josh Duhamel at the world premiere of Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen in the Japanese capital.

In the film, out on June 24 in Australia, LaBeouf reprises the role of Sam Witwicky, the human caught in the war between autobots and decepticons, and Fox returns as his girlfriend Mikaela.

Lucas plays Alice, a girl Sam meets at college.

But there’s more to Alice than meets the eye, and the character shows off a side of Lucas that audiences haven’t seen before.

It is her first big screen role after playing Tasha Hunter on Home and Away from 2003 to 2006, and it could be the start of a promising Hollywood career for the 24-year-old.

Lucas said she tried to put all thoughts about the size of the film out of her mind during shooting.

“Working with (director) Michael Bay and having Steven Spielberg producing – it was kind of surreal and awesome all wrapped up in one,” said Lucas, who turned out in a white Dior dress paired with Paspaley Pearl earrings.

“Sure, you are aware of the pressure and the magnitude of the production, but also as an actress it’s not really my job to think about the finances, and (I) just treated it like any other production.”

Ever since Bay announced he had cast her in the new Transformers movie, fan websites and message boards have been buzzing about the Aussie beauty, comparing her to stunning co-star Fox.

Fox said her life had been turned around since she appeared in the first Transformers movie in 2007.

“It’s mind-blowing,” said Fox, dressed in a thigh-baring purple gown.

“I think it has opened a lot of doors for me career-wise, but there is a certain loss of anonymity, like leaving your house and having people take your picture all the time.

“That is a different kind of life.”

LaBeouf attracted the loudest cheers and screams from the crowd lining the red carpet at the Toho cinema in Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills.

“It’s a fantasy world, it’s a ridiculous job,” he laughed.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t enjoyable.”

Also walking the red carpet were the film’s other stars, including Ramon Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson, while autobot Bumblebee made a special appearance, transforming from a Camaro in a puff of smoke and sound.