The Tomb Raider footage shown at E3 was impressive for its cinematic qualities, but the fake British accent being used for Lara Croft seemed immersion-breaking, to say the least. Luckily for Tomb Raider fans, the developers at Crystal Dynamics were simply using a stand-in voice actress until the real voice of Lara Croft could be cast.
Square Enix announced today that Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot will be voiced by British Actress Camilla Luddington. Luddington is most famous for her role as Kate Middleton in the British TV movie “William & Kate.” She will also feature heavily in the second half of the currently airing fifth season of “True Blood,” where she will play a character named Claudette.
“This has been one of the most important jobs for us to get right,” said Darrell Gallagher, head of studio at Crystal Dynamics. “This Tomb Raider game is very different to any other and we are demanding far more from the voice and performance acting than ever before as we take the franchise in a new direction.”
Square Enix stated that the search for the new voice of Lara Croft spanned Europe and the U.S. Evidently, Luddington was chosen for her “youthful tone” and ability to deliver a “depth of emotion.” She will be attending the Tomb Raider panel at Comic-Con in July, as well as a Nerd HQ panel during that time.
Judging by what’s been shown of the Tomb Raider reboot, “depth of emotion” will be important, but being able to exclaim the sound of pain will be even more important. To be successful, Luddington will need to create the screams and sounds associated with Lara Croft falling down mountainsides, running into trees, and breaking ribs – all while out of breath.