Was Angelina jolly almost about to pass on Tomb Raider? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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It’s difficult to fantasize about Tomb Raider without Angelina Jolie. She was the Lara Croft—courageous, formidable, and forever up for action. But, surprise, she almost said “no thanks” to the role! Back in 2001, Jolie wasn’t confident about playing a video game character at all.
She had just won an Oscar for Girl, Interrupted and was focused on serious roles. And let’s say what it is—video game movies weren’t exactly known for being exceptional back then. So, she wasn’t persuaded.
But then, the studio made her a proposal that changed everything. And no, it wasn’t just about the compensation. They gave her something way more exhilarating—something that played right into her love for rough patches and epic quests. So, what precisely made her say yes? Let’s plunge in.
The Offer That Made Angelina Jolie Take Tomb Raider
Angelina Jolie didn’t bounce at the prospect of playing Lara Croft. In fact, she said no at first. “I really didn’t feel like that character suited me. I actually didn’t at first want to do it; I said no,” the actress admitted, which is astonishing, considering how flawlessly she ended up conforming to the role.
But then, the studio told her she’d get to travel the world, train with the British military, and do real stunts. That altered everything. Check out what Angie said in an interview with Collider:
“But they said you can travel the world and train with the British Military and so I had three months of seeing what I could do. And I would encourage anybody to do that. Sign up for as much as you can, give yourself a few months, push yourself to the limit and see, ‘What can I do?’ And you find that there’s a lot you didn’t know and some crazy, weird things you can do or you’re capable of, so I love it.”
Out of nowhere, the role went from “just a video game character” to “real-life action icon” status. For three months, Jolie went full beast mode, training in combat, weapons, and doing feats that would make us all run for cover.
That training turned her into a legitimate action star. Jolie pulled off most of her own stunts in Tomb Raider, making Lara Croft as lifelike as it gets. And this was before CGI could just make stuff disappear—if you saw her jumping, climbing, or squabbling, yes, that was all her!
Sure, the paycheck was sweet (according to Parade, she reportedly raked in $7 million for the first Tomb Raider and $12 million for the sequel, The Cradle of Life), but the real explanation of why Jolie took Tomb Raider? The experience. The challenge. And most of all the chance to compel herself like never before. Honestly, we can’t visualize anyone else owning that role.
