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Everyone knows Lara Croft as that tough Tomb Raider with dual pistols and zero fear, right? She exploded onto the scene back in 1996 with the original Tomb Raider video game on PlayStation, and most folks picture Angelina Jolie kicking ass in the 2001 movie or Sophie Turner gearing up for the new series. But hold up, neither of them was first. That spot belongs to Shelley Blond, the voice actress who brought Croft to life when pixels ruled, and voice work made all the difference.
The voice behind Lara Croft
Picture this: you’re a gamer in the mid-90s, fumbling through ancient ruins, traps snapping everywhere, and suddenly Lara’s cool British voice cuts through—“Yes, but my dear Henry, this is a tomb.” That’s Shelley Blond, dropping lines with that perfect mix of posh smarts and steely nerve. No fancy motion capture or face scans back then—just her voice carrying the whole character through scratchy cutscenes and echoing corridors. She gave Lara that aristocratic edge, like a smart explorer who could outwit mummies and still look fabulous doing it.Blond nailed the audition because producers wanted someone sharp and sophisticated, matching Croft’s upper-class backstory. That game flew off shelves, selling millions and kicking off a franchise that’s still going strong. Without her, Lara might not have hooked us so hard right out of the gate.
How the role evolved over-time
Angelina Jolie turned Lara into a Hollywood action star in ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’, trading pistols for high-octane stunts alongside her real-life dad Jon Voight. Fast-forward to 2018, and Alicia Vikander brought a tougher, younger version to the screen—gritty and real, as she’d actually climbed those ruins. Now Sophie Turner’s stepping in for the series, fresh off ‘Game of Thrones’ dragon-riding, promising even more intensity.Shelley Blond basically invented a gaming legend, proving tough women could lead the charge in a male-dominated pixel world. Today, as Lara jumps to streaming and new adventures, it’s cool to remember the voice that started it all.
