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KARIMA ADEBIBE
INTERVIEW NOW ONLINE
Copyright 2006 www.tombraiderchronicles.com
[ April 4th 2006 ]
Karima
Adebibe doesn't just know how to handle pistols
and don a pair of hot-pants in her role as Lara
Croft, she knows how to have fun, a point
very evident during our interview with the 20-year-old
model from Bethnal Green this afternoon.
Karima
is touring London preparing for the April 7 European
release of Tomb
Raider Legend, the brand new Lara Croft-helmed
adventure now under the aegis of Crystal
Dynamics, and we
caught up with the model and pitted questions
collected from fans of www.tombraiderforums.com.
TRC -
First of all, congratulations. I had a chance
to meet your predecessor in London and she had
a right laugh as Lara Croft. I've collected 10
questions from fans of www.tombraiderforums.com
so if you're ready, I'll get on with it.
Karima
- I know the Tomb Raider Forums. What is your
username? No wait, you must be Darth Vader. I
browse the forum frequently and I know some of
the members. That Undertaker is very cool! [ He'll
be pleased to hear that! Ed.]
Twiin
- Had you heard of Tomb Raider before you took
on the role of Lara Croft. Which games were your
favourite?
Karima
- I played the first Tomb Raider when I was ten,
then moved onto Tomb Raider 2. More recently I've
been playing Tomb Raider Legend, which is amazing.
The graphics are incredible, amazingly life-like
and Lara has a realistic feel to her movement.
Vista
Advent - Can you do the back-braking handstand
Lara does, and if not, are you working on it?
Karima
- I'm absolutely working on it. I want to do everything
Lara does, to play the role perfectly. A lot of
upper muscle is required and I'm working on it
during my free time.
Dezmond
- Are you recognized on the street without your
outfit on?
Karima
- Sometimes people look at me, it's odd. I wonder
if I know them, or if they know me. I've been
recognised a few times, once at my home station
of Bethnal Green, and at the Madrid passport control.
Undertaker
- You've obviously done a lot of travelling and
met quite a few folk while promoting the game.
Any experiences that stand out?
Karima
- I know Undertaker. He's cool! The fans have
been great. I met one guy in Barcelona, he was
a lovely guy, a huge collector, and he's been
following my career as Lara Croft as well as the
games. I signed all his games for him.
MattTR
- What has been your favourite part since all
this began?
Karima
- I know MattTR too! Meeting the gamers. I am
a gamer, and I like meeting the fans who are in
touch with the game and have a love for Lara.
I love interacting with them. The training has
been great too, what with army training, helicopter
training and elocution training. I'm also the
first Lara Croft model to speak, and I love it.
I have an absolute thirst for adventure, so my
next holiday will probably be an action adventure.
Forget about laying on the beach.
Clara
[CA] - What did you have to learn and what was
the hardest part to learn ?
Karima
- When Eidos first chose me, I wasn't in optimum
shape. I worked very hard in personal training
to get leaner and stronger and achieve a more
aesthetic look. I've just reached that now. At
first I had slightly higher shorts, which held
me more, but now I'm wearing much lower shorts
and I'm more confident. More happy. The outfit
is perfect now, and I feel much more confident.
Ben croft
- If you were an archaeologist, which location
would you want to explore? Any interest in archaeology?
Karima
- I've picked up a few archaeology books for general
information to do my job better. After all, Lara
is an archaeologist. I'd like to explore Japan
or some other exotic location.
Mona
Sax - What did your physical training look like?
How long did it take? Is it still work in progress?
Karima
- I did intensive training for three months, December
through January and February.
dhama
- In the opening sequence of the game, Lara does
a swan dive down to the ledge below her. Has Eidos
asked you to do anything even remotely dangerous
yet as part of your contract?
Karima
- I've been shooting real guns, helicopter stunt
training and motorbike training. I've also trained
with a python!
CatSuit&Ponytail
- How do you manage to keep warm in a pair of
short and a vest?
Karima
- This is Goran's wife? I've met her before. Well,
you know, plenty of exercise and the shoots are
athletic so I tend to keep warm.
tlr online
- Most indecent proposal so far as Lara Croft?
Karima
- Nothing so far. I haven't even been asked out
on a date! The fans are wonderful, and the guys
are so polite and complete gentleman.
Karima
Adebibe will spend this week in London on various
PR shoots leading up to the release of Tomb Raider
Legend on Friday April 7. We'd like to thank Karima
for her time, and wish her every success as the
new face of cyber-heroine Lara Croft.
Karima
Adebibe microsite
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