Sophie Turner Reveals Health Issue She Discovered Training for 'Tomb Raider'
- - Sophie Turner Reveals Health Issue She Discovered Training for 'Tomb Raider'
Jennifer MashugaJanuary 17, 2026 at 10:04 PM
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It's been nearly two years since Amazon Prime announced at the 2024 upfronts that Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge would be writing and executive-producing a new Tomb Raider series. Six months later, Variety reported that Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner would play the iconic video game character.
Fans have been waiting to get a glimpse of her in the titular role ever since. On Jan. 15, Amazon MGM Studios finally gave everyone a first look at Turner as Lara Croft. Turner has also begun speaking more about her excitement, while also revealing that she discovered some back issues while getting in shape for the role.
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“I’ve been doing eight hours a day, five days a week, since February last year of training, so it’s been a lot,” Turner said while appearing on The Julia Cunningham Show.
“I’ve learned I have a perpetual back problem," she continued. "But I also realized that it’s much easier to kind of build muscle if you’ve ever worked out before in your life, which I never had, so it has taken me months and months and months to get into good shape. That’s what I’ve learned.”
Game of Thrones was a very physical role for most of the show's cast, but not for Turner. She reminded Cunningham that she was "the one that got beat up, not the one doing the beating. So it's quite nice to learn how to throw a punch and not just take it."
Along with her eagerness to get physically stronger, she also wants to flesh out Lara Croft's personality and nuances, potentially over many years.
"I feel really lucky to have signed onto Tomb Raider and to have the opportunity to play a character over a certain number of episodes," she admitted. "I love TV, I love doing TV because you do get to develop, and develop over potentially years and years."
"And so, I feel really lucky to be able to have this opportunity, and let's hope that it does go on for years and years," she added.
Along with Turner, several recognizable faces round out the Tomb Raider cast. Aliens and Avatar star Sigourney Weaver will play Evelyn Wallis, while White Lotus alum Jason Isaacs plays Atlas DeMornay. Waller-Bridger and Chad Hodge will serve as showrunners.
This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
