Sophie Turner Reveals ‘Tomb Raider’ Training Uncovered a Serious Health Problem

Sophie Turner is preparing to step into the role of Lara Croft, but the training for the part came with an unexpected discovery.

According to comments she made on The Julia Cunningham Show, the 29-year-old actress learned she has a chronic back problem while training for the upcoming Tomb Raider TV series. Sophie explained that the physical preparation for the role has been intense and very demanding.

“We’ve been doing eight hours a day, five days a week since February of last year, of training,” she said during the interview. “Yeah, so it’s been a lot.”

While pushing her body during months of workouts, Sophie noticed an ongoing issue. She shared that she has “a perpetual back problem” that became clear during training. Still, she said the process taught her a lot about her body and fitness.

She also admitted that she didn’t have much experience working out before landing the role. “I also realized that it’s much easier to kind of build muscle if you’ve never worked out before in your life, which I never had,” she said. “So, it’s taken me months and months and months to get into good shape.”

Julia Cunningham pointed out that this might surprise fans, since Sophie is widely known for playing Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones, a show filled with battles and action scenes. Sophie was quick to clarify her role on the series.

“I also just was the one that got beat up, not the one doing the beating,” she said. “So it’s quite nice to learn how to throw a punch and not just take it!”

The new Tomb Raider series is being developed by Amazon MGM, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge leading the project. The show is inspired by the early Tomb Raider video games, which first launched in 1996 and made Lara Croft one of the most famous video game characters of all time.

Amazon MGM recently released a first look at Sophie in costume as Lara Croft. Her outfit includes classic elements from the original games, such as red sunglasses, a teal tank top, short shorts, pistol holsters, and a leather backpack.

Plot details are still mostly under wraps, but a cast announcement shared by Prime Video revealed some clues. Sigourney Weaver will play a new character named Evelyn Wallis, described as “a mysterious, high-flying woman who is keen to exploit Lara’s talents.” Other characters from the games will also appear, including Winston the butler, played by Bill Paterson, Lara’s uncle Atlas DeMornay, played by Jason Isaacs, and her tech-savvy friend Zip, played by Martin Bobb-Semple.

Sophie’s role marks the third major live-action version of Lara Croft. Angelina Jolie previously played the character in the early 2000s films, followed by Alicia Vikander in the 2018 movie.

Even with the tough training and health challenges, Sophie appears fully committed to the role. As she prepares to bring Lara Croft back to the screen, she’s gaining strength, skills, and a deeper understanding of her own limits along the way.

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