Talking tough with Angelina Jolie

Lara Croft’s character is a whole new action heroine – smart, strong, exceptionally sexy. You could say the same thing about Angelina Jolie. In this exclusive interview, Jolie talks about the making of the Tomb Raider movies and the challenges of portraying the title role.

Why do you think Hollywood hasn’t created more female characters like Lara Croft? Have you seen a shift due to the success of the Lara Croft franchise?

It’s difficult to analyze, but I would think the basic reason we’re seeing a character like her is because she’s very much the modern woman, with all the freedoms a modern woman possesses, combined with the evolution of what women are capable of doing today.

There have been strong women through history and in films – usually in terms of emotional strength and in other ways – but no one quite like her.

I think the success of the Lara Croft franchise probably has changed things. People are more ready to see a film with a female action hero. Alien was very successful, but involved so much science fiction that we didn’t know if people would accept a character that was like Lara in a more realistic action-adventure film.

What I think is important is that Lara’s tough, but she’s not trying to be that way. She just happens to have those traits, but she’s also sexual, fun and playful.

Lara Croft may be an English aristocrat, but she follows more in the American vein of rugged heroes. What’s the definition of a modern tough girl to you?

That’s funny-she seems very British to me! The thing about Lara is that she does have this British aristocratic upbringing and that’s what makes her complete – the combination of being intelligent, elegant, strong, but totally wild and dirty and primal.

A modern tough girl? To me, it’s someone who lives honestly and straightforwardly, no-holds-barred in their beliefs I don’t think "tough" means being angry or mean-it’s figuring out absolutely what you stand for and never wavering in that. And sometimes it’s "tough" to show a soft side, too.

How much physical training did you do before shooting began? What was the toughest physical challenge for you?

On both films it was over two months of physical endurance training – lots of running, kick boxing, boxing, weights and so on. But the majority of the time was spent learning new skills. I had to learn Kendo/Japanese swordsmanship; there’s a lot of underwater scenes, so I had to learn diving and there (were) also the stand-up jet ski stunts – it’s not as easy as driving the sit-down kind!

The toughest challenge involved Lara’s trick horse riding training in the film, where she spins a shotgun while riding sidesaddle. It’s very difficult to do. But you know, I enjoyed that because I do like the things that are hard. There was a scene where we rappelled upside down 100 feet against slate rock in Wales. Now, that was fun.

After talking to you and others involved with the film, I get a real sense of dedication to making this film as good as it can possibly be.

Yes, very much so, and in the first one we had a lot of difficulty trying to make something from a game and we had to introduce so much and adjust so much, but for more reason we had to have that progression. And now it’s darker, sexier and less of fantasy.

Have you tried to learn Tomb Raider-or any other games? Or are you going to wait until your son Maddox is old enough to coach you through it?

I think I will, as Maddox gets older. I do think the game is great, a very smart one compared to many I’ve been shown. And the thing I like about Lara is she seems very open; she’s not so "cool" (that) she’s unapproachable. You get a sense that is you met her – and I like to think the same would apply if you met my character from the movie — and wanted to go on the adventure, she’d be open to have you with her and it would be fun.

Is there that one question you wish you’d get asked but never do? And what’s your answer to it?

I don’t know. If I could think of a question, well, that’s probably the question I need to be asking myself!