Public Servant Lifestyle

The international face of action hero Lara Croft has been revealed as an unknown 20 year old shop girl from London's Bethnal Green.

Unknown 20 year old Karima Adebibe, is set to be catapulted into the world of superstardom after being cast from thousands of hopefuls in an international search to fill the shoes of one of Hollywoods' biggest stars: Lara Croft.

Karima, a self confessed tomboy and former Top Shop sales assistant, will need all her reserves of energy for the adventures that lie ahead in one of entertainment's most challenging acting and modelling roles. Starting immediately she will embark on a gruelling training programme which includes an SAS survival, combat and semi automatic weapon firing course in Eastern Europe and a crash course in world archaeology, deportment, elocution and etiquette lessons in order to portray Lady Lara Croft, the 11th generation Countess, archaeologist and action hero.

Once completely trained in the ways of video gaming's leading lady, Karima will be lining up a host of international modelling assignments, starring in TV commercials, appearing on chat shows and is set to be travelling the globe for the next two years.

Nell McAndrew

Pictured (left): the computer version of Lara - as portrayed in real-life by Karima, for the next couple of years at least...

"This is an incredible opportunity for me and one which I plan to grasp with both hands" said Karima. "It's a huge challenge to follow in the footsteps of people like Nell McAndrew and Angelina Jolie, but life is all about challenges and this is perhaps the biggest one for a model and actress."

"Karima has all the assets needed to accurately portray the world's favourite female action hero" said Matt Gorman, Brand Controller for Tomb Raider. "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend sees Lara at the very height of her powers this makes Karima the 7th and most important Lara Croft yet."

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend sets the videogame heroine up against her very own female adversary: rogue anthropologist Amanda Evert - and finds her equipped with a new voice. The new game will see Lara Croft voiced by leading British actress Keeley Hawes. Keeley, best known for her role of three years as Zoë Reynolds in BBC TV's spy drama Spooks, Michael Winterbottom's feature Cock and Bull Story and lesbian Victorian drama Tipping The Velvet. According to Eidos, Keeley took to the rather plummy part of Lady Lara Croft (remember, she may be an action babe, but she's also supposed to be an 11th generation Countess) effortlessly, "Lara Croft is such a strong and powerful character, but she also has an edge to her, which was great to portray vocally. Lara is getting up to all sorts of trouble in Legend, I am sure the fans won't be disappointed!"

"Keeley is perfect for the voice of Lara" said Matt Gorman, Brand Controller for the Tomb Raider series, "she had the right balance of aristocracy and attitude to really bring to life Miss Croft in all her glory."

Already tipped as 'the blockbuster video game for 2006' this will be the seventh game of British publisher Eidos' hit series and sees Lara Croft return to her tombraiding roots. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Tomb Raider is one of the best selling videogames of all time. Lara Croft has transcended games, entertainment and technology into action figures, comic books, adventure novels, and the two motion pictures.

Pictured (left): The new villain for the new game, evil treasure hunter; Amanda Evert.

Karima follows in the footsteps of previous Lara Croft stars: Lucy Clarkson, Rhona Mitra, Nell McAndrew, Vanessa Demouy, Lara Weller and of course Angelina Jolie - who portrayed the charcter in the Tomb Raider films.

The former Tomb Raider titles are all still available, including Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness and Tomb Raider 4: The Last Revelation.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend is out now as PlayStation2, Xbox, PC, Xbox360 and PSP versions.