Karima Adebibe was born on February 14
th 1985, in Bethnal Green, London. She is Greek, Irish and Moroccan descent. Ms. Adebibe became the seventh official model in 2006, beating thousands of hopefuls to become the famous video game heroine Lara Croft.
AN IMMEDIATE FAN
At the age of ten, Karima received the first Tomb Raider game for Christmas, after persuading her parents to buy it for her. From the first level Miss Adebibe was a fan. As a child her lifestyle had similar hobbies as Lady Lara, she loved sport and she spent most of the time in the sun, exploring and playing.
LIFE BEFORE TRAVELING
Before becoming her childhood heroine Karima worked in a shop in London. In 2004 Karima Adebibe took the role of a sacrificial maid, in the film Aliens Vs Predator. At the age of 18 she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a model. This choice led her to become Lara in 2006. Just before the competition Karima was thinking about leaving her modelling career, although when she got the job she immediately decided she wanted to portray the heroine.
THE CHALLENGE
Eidos ran a competition to look for the new Lara Croft. Thousands of women entered. The contest was split into three levels. One of the levels involved the models to speak, and take several poses, these were recorded, (a few of these can be seen on the Tomb Raider Anniversary Documentary.) Karima was one of the lucky few to get into the third and final round. She and two other people were battling for the role. The next challenge took place in the board room, and in front of Eidos’ Bosses. The models were given a series of questions. The some of the questions included were “What person do you think most suits Lara?” and “what would be Lara’s biggest competitor”. Karima won the competition and immediately went home to research information on her predecessors in order to examine their best qualities and try to adapt them into her role, before she began the extreme physical training to be her own childhood heroine.
TRAINING
Lara Croft is a highly skilled Tomb Raider, she can rock climb, ride motorcycles, and can speak a many different languages. The training to be Lara was going to be hard. Karima already could speak six languages but she would have to learn how to ride a motorcycle and obtain her licence, undertake SAS training, firearms training, etiquette lessons, combat course, media training, deportment lessons, and complete a Semi automatic weapon firing course, during her job she also had a unique chance to travel in a helicopter as she arrived for an interview in Germany.
INTRODUCTION PHOTOS – UK
Before the training Karima posed for a handful of promotional introduction photos for the press released. Ms. Adebibe travelled to Westway Sport Centre n the UK for a series of photos that included her posing in her Legend outfit in front of a climbing wall.
IGN INTERVEIW – USA
A few days after the Introduction photo shoot, Karima travelled to the US for an interview with IGN. This was one of the first interviews she has had in the role of Lara. In the interview Karima talked about her life before she became Lara and about the up coming game at the time (Tomb Raider Legend). She told the audience about the first time she put on the costume and what she felt, giving them unique insight in what it is to be Lara Croft as a job.
UK INTRODUCTION
Karima travelled back to the UK, appearing in a series of photographs wearing the Legend outfit. In photos she is holding Lara’s signature pistols, Karima also agreed to hold snake around her a neck for some of the images.
“WALK OF GAME”
In March 2006, a handful of video game protagonists won the Walk of Game awards; these were Star Craft, Final Fantasy, Ever Quest and Lady Lara Croft as favourite Games and/or Characters. Accepting the award on behalf of Lara Croft was Bill Gardner (CEO of US Publishing for Eidos), Toby Gard (Design and Creative consultant for Lara) and Karima Adebibe (Lara Croft Model).
TOMB RAIDER ITALY TOUR:
Karima travelled to Italy for a tour supporting and promoting Tomb Raider Legend. As well as signing autographs, she agreed to be interviewed for numerous articles. Karima also took the spotlight on stage for an interview appearing of in her Lara costume and her own clothes.
LEIPZIG GAMES CONVENTION 2006
At the Leipzig Games Convention in 2006, Karima was interviewed and filmed for a chapter in a Tomb Raider documentary. The chapter was called “Being Lara Croft” followed Karima to see a day in the life of the model, and how she prepares and interacts with the fans. Leipzig’s convention is one of the biggest conventions in the world with 200,000 people travelling to Germany to see the latest games and demos. Karima job as Lara is at no means easy, as well as talking to the fans, and the Gametap documentary cast, she also agreed to do several interviews that she manage to pack into the time in Leipzig
“The first time someone put a microphone in my face, it was awful. I couldn’t stop shaking, stuttering, stumbling, but now it is like second nature. Now I find the people putting the microphones in my face are shaking, Lara is intimidating.”
E3 2006 – USA
After travelling to - MCV Industry Excellence Awards 2006, UK, Karima attended the E3 convention 2006 making a guest appearance supporting and promoting Tomb Raider Legend. Ms. Adebibe agreed to do an interview for IGN while at the E3 convention.
BAFTA 2006 – UK
In 2006, Tomb Raider was rewarded with a Bafta at the Video games award for the “Best Original Score” for Tomb Raider Legend composed by Troels B Foreman. Tomb Raider: Legend also had five nominations including Lara Croft in the Character category. She competed against Hitman’s Agent 47, Lego Star Wars’ Han Solo, and many more.
DTM MOTORSPORT – GERMANY
DTM stands for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. In 2007, Karima Adebibe travelled to the EuroSpeedway in Germany, meeting Formula 1 driver Mika Hakkinen, as well as female drivers Susie Stoddert and Vanina Ickx. She also got the opportunity to change into a set of official overalls for a group photos with the female drivers, and wave the chequered flag.
TOMB RAIER ANNIVERSARY – SPAIN TOUR
As part of her advertisement for Tomb Raider Anniversary, Karima travelled to Madrid. Signing several photos for the fans and posing for a handful of photos which appeared later in various magazines and on the internet.
ITALY – WOMEN’S ONLY BEACH
Tomb Raider Model Karima Adebibe travelled to Italy to open the first Women only beach, also banned to children. The area is also known as the “Pink Beach” and lies in Riccione, near Rimini on the east shore. The opening was shown on national news. The shore had undergone a change for the new target audience: the restaurants have now replaced their beach food of fried squid and chips with healthier meals such as salads and fresh fish. The shore also offers lessons in deportment, manicure, pedicures, exercise lessons and cookery. The Pink Beach is meant to represent the growth in women’s rights in Italy
ANNIVERSARY REUNION - UK
For the tenth anniversary, Eidos decided to create a special photo shoot celebrating the Lara Croft Models. This was the first time the Laras would meet each other on the set. The models who made their appearance were Nell McAndrew, Lara Weller, Lucy Clarkson Jill de Jong, and Karima Adebibe.
LEIPZIG GAMES CONVENTION 2007 - GERMANY
An estimated 200,000 people travelled to Leipzig Games convention 2007, where the newly released games and demos were available to the public to try out. Eidos’ Lara model Karima Adebibe also appeared at the convention promoting Tomb Raider Anniversary on Wii. She also got the chance to play part of the levels. Karima also appeared on stage giving a talk and answering question about Tomb Raider Anniversary. She also signed photos and posters for the fans.
TOMB RAIDER ANNIVERSARY MOBILE - MOVISTAR
For the new release of Tomb Raider Anniversary on the mobile, Karima travelled to Telefonica Movistar Launch in Madrid (Spain). As well as posing for several photos with a version of Tomb Raider Anniversary on a mobile, she took part in a show. For the show, Adebibe glided in from above on a zip wire harness and listen to a recording she had on her headset while searching the area.
HANGING UP HER BOOTS
Before she retired from her job as the video game heroine, there were several articles in magazine and on the internet about rumours that Karima was going to leave. While she was finishing her tours, Eidos decided to run a competition to find the next Lara Croft Model.
SUCCESSOR
Karima’s successor is a 23 years old gymnast; Alison Carroll. She took the role as Lara on 11th August 2008, for the long awaited Tomb Raider Underworld. Alison became the 8th official Lara Croft. With the job Carroll faced the same rigorous training as Karima. She approached the job not as a model but as a gymnast, and she impressed the judges with her stunts and her ability to portray the video game heroine. Fans who have seen Tomb Raider Anniversary’s Wii trailer may of noticed that the model performing the swan dives and back flips was Alison.
Birthdate: 14th February 1985