The Original Lara Croft Voice Actor Before Hollywood Fame
Long before movie stars took on the iconic role, one voice actress created the foundation for Lara Croft's legendary character. Her influence reached further than anyone imagined.
Years before Hollywood discovered Lara Croft, a British voice actress named Shelley Blond brought the character to life in 1996's original Tomb Raider video game. Blond's performance established the foundation for what would become one of gaming's most recognizable characters.
During her audition process, Blond received minimal direction from developers. She was given a single drawing of Lara and told to make her sound like "a young female Bond." The creative team wanted a monotonous delivery without much emotion, which proved challenging for the naturally expressive actress.
Hollywood's Connection to Gaming Roots
When Angelina Jolie prepared for her 2001 film role, she studied Blond's original voice work extensively. A friend who worked on the movie told Blond that Jolie listened to the game's audio repeatedly to perfect Lara's distinctive British accent.
Blond praised Jolie's portrayal, calling her "the epitome of Lara" with the right face, body, accent, and attitude. The voice actress felt Jolie captured everything the character represented.
The Franchise Evolution
After Jolie's two films, the Tomb Raider movie franchise went dormant until Alicia Vikander's 2018 reboot. Now Sophie Turner is set to play Lara in an upcoming Prime Video series written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
The television format may prove more successful for video game adaptations. Recent shows like The Last of Us and Fallout have demonstrated how series allow for better character development and world-building compared to movies.
Turner's casting alongside Jason Isaacs, Sigourney Weaver, and Bill Paterson suggests the series has strong potential when it debuts in 2026 or 2027.