Her father was a used car salesman, and her mother an elementary school principal. As a synchronized swimmer, she represented Canada at the World Aquatic Championships. She had moved to Toronto at the age of twelve to train with the national synchronized swimming team. After becoming the senior national champion at seventeen, Estella had the chance to move on to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She is a three-time Canadian national champion, and the solo bronze medalist at the 1995 Junior World Championships.

In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, playing the piano, singing, and swimming.

During a high school fashion show, a talent agent was present, who spotted her and took a Polaroid of her and sent it to a New York City agency and her modeling career began. Estella stands 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 metres) tall, with measurements of 34-24-34 (bust-waist-hips). She has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Vogue, Vanity Fair, two TV commercials for Chanel No.5 perfume.

She has been in numerous movies, including 2001's Driven (with Sylvester Stallone) and Planet of the Apes, 2003's lambasted Kangaroo Jack and the critically acclaimed The Cooler in the same year.

Estella's acting abilities have been showcased on the small screen, too. She appeared in That 70's Show in 2003; in Law & Order, and in its spinoff Special Victims Unit, both in 2005. Estella also appeared in "Ghost Whisperer", in an episode entitled, "On the Wings of a Dove", where she portrayed Alexis ("Lexi") Fogerty, which aired on November 11, 2005.