Camilla Luddington, the voice and body of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, talks about her latest role.
As part of the build-up to release of Tomb Raider, the kick-off for Lara Croft’s latest trilogy, the actress behind the voice and body of Lara talks about her role in a video interview. Brit actress Camilla Luddington says she felt “overwhelmed” at the thought of portraying Lara; in fact she “screamed in my car when I got the role.” But though the experience was gruelling, Luddington loved working with Lara. “She fights for what she believes in,” Luddington says, “she’s courageous [and] I think that’s sexy.”
It’s pretty clear that Luddington, like Lara, wasn’t entirely sure what she was getting into when she signed on the dotted line. Luddington was expecting to be “kicking butt,” as she describes it, and while she does do the badass bit she also cries a lot. It’s all part of Luddington’s transformative experience, as the “young, naïve [Lara] who has a thirst for adventure” has to fight for her life. The deer-killing scene is one Luddington cites as a pivotal moment for the character, where Croft has to decide to kill rather than starve.
Luddington had to draw on skills she’d almost forgotten she possessed. Archery, which was a dim and distant childhood memory for her, suddenly became a crucial skill. Her stage acting experience also came in handy, as mocap “feels like performing on a stage.” She found the process “intimidating” at first, but soon immersed herself in the role. “We’re used to seeing Lara as cold-hearted, almost a killer,” Luddington said, adding “she’s a badass, but in this you’ll see her struggle.”
Source: Eurogamer
