ANGELINA JOLIE ON THE CRADLE OF LIFE
Copyright 2003 www.tombraiderchronicles.com

[ July 15th 2003 ]

Angelina Jolie, who returns as the title character in the upcoming sequel film Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, told SCI FI Wire that filmmakers wanted to improve on the hit first Tomb Raider and make Croft a more believable person this time around. "We wanted to revisit Tomb Raider, because we all had fun with the first [film], but it was hard to go from the game to the first one, and I think we couldn't adjust too much," Jolie said in an interview. "With this one, we wanted a more solid story and to adjust [Lara]. We wanted her to be a real flesh-and-blood woman with relationships. There was so much we didn't feel satisfied with in the first one, so I did the second one just because I wanted to finish it right, do it right."

Jolie once again plays Croft, the character first made famous in Eidos' best-selling video-game series. When asked how much longer she can see herself playing Croft, Jolie replied, "I don't know. I don't know if we'll do another one. I think we'll see how the audience responds. If they want another one, and if we can think of something great. There are so many great new things we can do. If not, we won't do it."

Jolie said that it's strange being so closely associated with Croft. "It's funny. It's all strange. Maddox [Jolie's 2-year-old son] sees the poster and says 'Mama!' But I like [Lara]. I really like her, and I am flattered, because I think she is a cool lady." And there's another upside to her fame in this role, the new mother said. "I can travel the world now and go to the middle of Japan or Tanzania or wherever it is—and critics can say whatever they want about Tomb Raider - but I can go to these countries, and little kids will play with me, so it's great." Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life opens July 25.