Hayley Atwell on Lara Croft and why she “never feels 100% prepared”

Even after more than 25 years, she remains a symbol of female strength – something that becomes even more nuanced in the new series.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of the release of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, Atwell explains: “Even if people aren't that familiar with the games or haven't seen a movie or two, it's a very well-known one and popular person.” character, and she's been with us for decades now, and I've always loved that the writers were women.

“One of the women who created her was Vicky Arnold (screenwriter for the original Tomb Raider games), later she was created by Rhianna Pratchett (writer of the 2013 and 2015 Tomb Raider reboot games) and then by Jill Murray (writer of Shadow of the Tomb Raider), which she later developed further, and now we have Tasha Huo (showrunner of the Netflix series).

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“So what I loved is the fact that you had this character that existed, that she evolved, and that's what I think makes her enduring.”

It's easy to tell that the new Tomb Raider series was written by a woman, perhaps especially by the small details. In one scene, Lara explains to anyone who can hear that a dress she is wearing has pockets.

Atwell points out the importance of always having a hair tie on hand. “Those little details kind of humanize her, I think, and make her relatable,” she adds.

Other women who have shaped the character include Alicia Vikander and Angelina Jolie (“What a list to be on!”) ​​– and Atwell wants to honor their legacy while adding something new.

“These are very dynamic, strong women who have a lot of range and variety in their careers, and Keeley Hawes, who works as a voice actress, there are so many incredible women who have played them, and what I loved is that “They all bring themselves to it – their own interpretation, their own voice, their own physicality – but what we all retain is fundamentally an understanding of what Lara is about,” Atwell emphasizes.

“She's this adventurer who goes on these mythical, dangerous solo adventures, and she also comes from a background that, while a great privilege, comes with a cost.”

“Lara struggles emotionally, and you see that in this series. It basically picks up after the events of the Survivor trilogy games. She's hit rock bottom emotionally and abandoned her friends to go into all these things on her own.” Adventures, but one of these adventures actually takes her back home, where she has to confront her friends about who she really is .

“For example, Lara might be driven by the belief that what she's doing is important and heroic or brave, but it might be her friends who point out that she's probably trying to run away from her feelings too. She would rather jump off cliffs and investigate ancient artifacts with evil spirits than deal with the fact that she doesn't really like being at a party.

“She gets anxiety attacks. I find that charming and endearing, and it gives me as an actress the opportunity to give her that special quality that's perhaps different from what we've seen before, but certainly in keeping with what we know of her.” to be.”

Of course, in addition to her badass attitude and action hero status, there was another element that helped Lara rise to fame in the '90s – her looks. She became a sex symbol, and Atwell admitted that she had “friends who were obsessed with her, particularly her early aesthetic.”

It's easy to look back at classic versions of the character and see them as completely over-sexualized. So when it came to an animated version of the character on Netflix, it was crucial that the look was right.

“When the offer first came in, they had shown me some pictures, references and stills to get a sense of the place and also what Lara looked like. I really liked her strength. I didn't feel like there was anything there.” “That's problematic for me at all,” says Atwell.

“Of course she has to be as familiar as we know her, because if she suddenly looked completely different you would really create a different character. So there have to be elements of who she was in the beginning.” And I think even though the costumes she wears in the animation evolve over time, it's more of a reflection of how comfortable she is in her own skin feels.

“That's what I feel when I look at it – her physicality and her aesthetic feel like a natural byproduct of what she does, rather than how she wants to be perceived in the world under the male gaze. “

Despite being such an iconic character, Lara is far from the first action hero Atwell has played – and she certainly won't be the last, from Marvel to Mission: Impossible and beyond. But voice acting offers a different kind of challenge.

“Every job I do helps me develop a little bit for the next job,” reflects Atwell. “During drama school I was really taught the power of the ensemble, that the production on stage is only as good as the weakest link within the ensemble. Everyone, no matter the size of the role, has to do it.” Come and participate fully and offer something.

“So when I'm in a booth where my acting decisions aren't influenced by someone reading a line to me, I have to do it completely blind, it becomes very technical and then I trust the director to do it.” Choose the settings of the other actors' performances that best fit the tone of the scene I have created for myself.

“For me, there is nothing that really prepares you other than gaining technical skills or gaining confidence. I've done a lot of things in the past that I didn't know how to do at the time, I just threw myself into it, and I can see what's happening…

“I never feel like I’m 100 percent prepared or super confident in what I’m doing. I think the only thing I have done and will continue to do is show up and see what happens. I think Lara does that in this series too.” “

After 28 years and counting, what makes Lara one of the lucky few who had the chance to play her?

“She is unique in that she is an action-adventurer who creates myth-filled stories. So it combines elements of archeology and history with ancient cultures, and that makes it timeless,” emphasizes Atwell.

“It makes her curious as a person, not just because of her physicality or aesthetics. And it evolves over time. We had such incredible women who were there to help shape her from the beginning, and that continues now.” Lineage with Tasha, and then of course so many other actresses who have played her in some capacity.

“Really it's about how Lara evolves over time and gives audiences what they expect from her – in terms of what she stands for, but also who she is today and how that can change.”

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will be released on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

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