For her role in ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,’ Angelina Jolie went above and beyond. The stunts, the martial arts, and the weaponry were a part of the movie’s grandeur. But nothing comes close to battling Stone Monkeys and shadow warriors in an impractical outfit.
Behind every iconic on-screen look, there’s usually a frantic conversation between the wardrobe department and an actor who isn’t entirely sold on the vision. When it comes to stylized, high-stakes adaptations, getting into character often means wrestling with an outfit that feels entirely alien at first.
The Impracticality Of The ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’ Outfit
While the action sequences—orchestrated by a team that pushed her to her physical limits—remain iconic, the reality of wearing Lara’s 2D-inspired costume was a source of genuine, vocal frustration for the actress.
“We knew we had to have the shorts at one point, which was very, very difficult. And it was big discussions to the last minute about me….I think it was the first thing I said to Simon, probably. Was that I would do the movie, but would not get in the shorts,” Jolie revealed in a 2001 interview.
“It did take a while, and then we thought, for the people that know her, you have to get in the shorts. It was very, very uncomfortable. You feel like her. During the first film, we had to really consider the game a lot and not stray too far from it, to try to make the game character a real person,” Jolie added.
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In addition, Jolie disliked the objectified and problematic portrayal of her character in video games. Her apprehensions and queasiness about the unworkable outfit were also valid. This, however, did not deter her from giving one of the most apt and accurate portrayals of the character.
Angelina Jolie’s Accurate, Authentic, And Apt Lara Croft
Keeping the dysfunctional shorts aside, Angelina Jolie outdid herself in the role. For her character, she trained intensely for two months. She learned mixed martial arts, weaponry, military-style training, and kickboxing. It took two and a half months to reach the physique and build agility.
She also practiced rock climbing and scuba diving as part of her training. The trainers also made the actress undergo grueling strength exercises during her two-month fitness regime.
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Not only that, Jolie did extensive bungee ballet for the role. The scene where she is swinging around the Croft Manor stood out because of this training. However, she also suffered minor burns in an on-set accident.
The gravity-defying bungee jumping was one of the many instances of her sincerity. Taking it a notch further, Jolie eventually did her own stunts.
There were specialists for high-risk stunts, but the actress stood out. Even if it meant enduring burns, her performance was praised by fans. This is one of her many remarkable roles.
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