When it comes to stepping into the boots of an icon, some actors read lines, and some actors become the character. Alix Wilton Regan, the newly minted voice actor for Lara Croft in the upcoming titles Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst, has officially joined the latter category—in the most painful way imaginable.

If you were wondering if the new voice behind the iconic dual pistols had the grit required for the role, look no further: she literally put her body on the line during a recording session, dislocating her jaw and popping it right back into place, all in the name of the perfect take.

“They Hired the Right Woman for the Job”

For fans of the Tomb Raider franchise, the news that Dragon Age: Inquisition star Alix Wilton Regan was taking over the mantle of Lara Croft brought a wave of excitement. But it wasn’t just her voice that caught the attention of the development team—it was her unrelenting commitment to the physicality of the role.

During a recent interview, Regan opened up about the “workplace dangers” associated with voicing one of gaming’s most badass icons. While recording a high-intensity fight scene for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, things took a turn that felt more like a Hollywood stunt set than a voice-acting booth.

The Moment It Happened

Three-and-a-half hours into a grueling recording session, the developers were looking to capture authentic vocalizations for a fight sequence. For Regan, “doing things by halves” simply isn’t an option.

“I can’t do anything by halves,” Regan admitted. As she threw herself into the movement to match the intensity of the scene, she accidentally landed a hook—directly onto her own jaw.

“I literally hooked myself in the jaw, dislocated my jaw, popped my jaw out,” she recounted. The reaction from the team on the Zoom call? Pure panic. “Everyone was like, ‘Shit, no, we killed Lara.'”

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A Professional Through and Through

Most performers would have called it a day after a medical mishap like that, but not Regan. After a 20-minute break for an ice pack and the composure to reset her jaw, she was right back at it.

When asked about the incident by the project’s higher-ups later on, she handled it with the same sharp wit you’d expect from Lara Croft herself. When told the “big boss” had heard about the incident, she joked, “I’d really actually rather not talk about it, Chris, but fine, whatever.”

As she put it perfectly: “They hired the right woman for the job.”

What This Means for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

This level of dedication is a massive win for fans. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is poised to be a landmark release, serving as a comprehensive remake and overhaul of the series’ very first entry. Following that, Tomb Raider: Catalyst will continue her journey in an all-new adventure slated for next year.

Having a lead actor who is willing to sweat, bleed, and—quite literally—punch her way through the recording process suggests that the emotional and physical weight of Lara Croft is in very safe hands.

It’s rare to see this level of raw, unfiltered passion in voice acting. It proves that while we’ve seen many iterations of Lara Croft over the decades, the soul of the character—that unyielding, “never-say-die” attitude—is alive and well.

Are you excited to see Alix Wilton Regan take on the role of Lara Croft? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned for more updates as we count down to the release of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis.

Disclaimer: This article covers the recent behind-the-scenes reporting regarding Alix Wilton Regan’s performance for the upcoming Tomb Raider titles. No actual Lara Croft actors were permanently harmed in the making of this game.