12 Things You Probably Did Not Know About Lara Croft
Lara Croft Wasn't Her Original Name
The character's creator, Toby Gard, said that Lara Croft's original name was supposed to be Laura Cruz. However, the game's developers wanted a more British influence for the female lead. (Photo: Crystal Dynamics)
Her Name Was Chosen Out of a Phonebook
Once it was decided that game's protagonist would be a British woman instead of a Latina, the game's developer, Core Design, found the closest name to Laura Cruz in the local phonebook. And then Lara Croft was born. (Photo: Crystal Dynamics)
Lara Croft Was Originally a Rip-off of Indiana Jones
Gard's original idea for Lara Croft was a male Indiana Jones look-a-like. But he was told the character should be more original. Gard's other ideas before landing on Croft were a muscular woman and a Nazi-like militant. (Photo: Eidos Interactive)
Lara Croft Was Enhanced By a Programming Error
After settling on the name and design of Lara Croft, a programming error accidentally made her breasts 150 percent larger. The creative team decided to stick with the, ahem, mistake. (Photo: Eidos Interactive)
Her Braid Was Absent in the First Tomb Raider
In the original Tomb Raider game, Lara Croft's iconic hair braid didn't make the cut because of graphical limitations. The braid made an appearance in the next installment. (Photo: Eidos Interactive)
She's Been Proposed to Dozens of Times
Despite not actually being a real person, Lara Croft has been the subject of a multitude of marriage proposals, Eidos staffer Tricia Gray told the New York Times. One day Lara will find Mr. Tomb Raider. (Photo: Crystal Dynamics)
She's Honored In Derby, England
Core Designs famously created Lara Croft in Derby, England, and she's honored there today. The archaeologist's birthplace, the former Core Designs office, now has a blue plaque. In 2010, Derby voted to rename an inner ring road as Lara Croft Way. (Photo: Eidos Interactive)
She Owns Six Guinness World Records
Back in 2010, Lara Croft and Tomb Raider were awarded with six Guinness world records, including most successful video game heroine. That's high praise. (Photo: Eidos Interactive)
She Sang Two Songs Only Released in France
Lara Croft's popularity rose so high in the 1990s that she released two songs that dropped solely in France. One of Croft's 'singles' was called "Getting Naked." (Photo: Eidos Interactive)
She Was Created By Six People
Although Gard created the character, Core Designs needed just six people to create the original Tomb Raider game. Nowadays, there are hundreds of people that work on a single video game release. (Photo: Eidos Interactive)
Lara Croft Was Inspired By Neneh Cherry & Tank Girl
When Gard created Lara Croft, his influences were the '90s Euro-rapper Neneh Cherry and the comic book character Tank Girl. Quite the combo. (Photo: Crystal Dynamics)
There Have Been Five Voices of Lara Croft
A total of five women have voiced the game character: Shelley Blond, Judith Gibbons, Jonell Elliot, Keeley Hawes and Camilla Luddington. Blond, the inaugural voice of Lara, voiced the role in only one game. (Photo: Crystal Dynamics)