See Every Actress Who Has Played Lara Croft

Lara Croft’s next adventure is about to begin!

As one of the most famous characters in video game history, multiple actresses have stepped into the shoes of the fearless explorer, playing her in film and television.

Angelina Jolie famously played Lara on the big screen in 2001 and 2003, and now Sophie Turner will be the next to bring the titular “Tomb Raider” to life on the screen. Prime Video announced on Jan. 15 that production had started on the latest adaptation.

The adventurous archaeologist travels the globe looking for missing artifacts and historical treasures. She was first introduced nearly 30 years ago in 1996’s Tomb Raider video game, which had users play as Lara as she searched for a powerful relic known as the Scion of Atlantis.

In the years since the character’s debut, there have been multiple Tomb Raider video games, along with movies and an animated series. Jolie portrayed the heroine on the big screen in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and other actresses have brought her to life as well, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier star Hayley Atwell.

In an October 2024 Radio Times interview, when asked why she thinks Lara continues to endure, Atwell said, “She’s unique in that she’s an action adventurer who [creates] myth-fuelled stories.”

“So it’s combining elements of archeology and history and ancient cultures, and that makes her timeless,” she added.

As a new Tomb Raider adaptation goes into production, here is a look at who has played Lara Croft in movies and TV.

Angelina Jolie

Jolie played the intrepid archaeologist twice, in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, which premiered in June 2001, and its sequel, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, released in July 2003.

In February 2025, the Oscar-winning actress revealed to PEOPLE that she initially turned down the role when first approached, but eventually changed her mind.

“They said, ‘You can travel the world and train with the British military.’ And I said, ‘I will wear the shorts for the first five minutes and then I’ll never wear them again,’ ” Jolie recalled. “And that’s true. And that’s the movie. That’s actually what happened.”

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was a life-changing role for the actress for multiple reasons. The movie was filmed in Cambodia, and Jolie fell in love with the location. She later returned to the Southeast Asian country to adopt her first child, son Maddox.

Alicia Vikander

Alicia Vikander portrayed Lara in the reboot movie Tomb Raider, released in June 2018.

In the film, Lara searches for ancient artifacts and her missing father, Richard Croft, played by Dominic West.

The following year after the reboot was released, a sequel was put in development with Vikander set to return, but MGM lost the rights, and the actress was “no longer attached” to the project by 2022, according to Deadline.

In a September 2024 interview with The Independent, Vikander said she was “sad” about not returning to play Lara again, adding that “of course” she would have come back.

“I had so much fun,” she added.

Hayley Atwell

Atwell voiced the adventurer in the 2024 Netflix animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.

According to the series description, the animated adventures of Lara have her going up against a “superpowered mercenary and an ancient cult.”

While speaking to Radio Times in October 2024, Atwell explained why she took on the iconic role, saying, “Even if people are not that familiar with the games, or have seen one movie or another movie, she’s a very known, beloved figure.”

“She’s been with us for decades now, and I’ve always loved the fact that the writers were women,” Atwell continued, referring to various script writers for the Tomb Raider games.

In October 2024, Netflix confirmed that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft had been renewed for a second season. Shortly after, Variety reported that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft would end with season 2, which premiered in December 2025.

Sophie Turner

In November 2024, it was announced that Game of Thrones star Turner was cast as Lara in the upcoming Prime Video live-action Tomb Raider series from Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

“I am thrilled beyond measure, to be playing Lara Croft,” Turner said in a statement, per Variety. “She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many — and I am giving everything I’ve got.”

“They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances,” she continued. “But with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands.”

“I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking,” Turner added.

Production on the new series kicked off in January 2026 — nearly 30 years after Lara Croft’s video game debut.