Tomb Raider movie: 'Alicia Vikander is a seriously hard working professional' interview with actor Duncan Airlie James

Duncan Airlie James worked as actor in movie Tomb Raider (2018). He worked also in  ID2: Shadwell Army and The Greyness of Autumn.

Q. You worked on the movie “Tomb Raider”, as Terry the Trainer. Please can you tell us about this role?

A. Sure. Well, it really is just a very small role, right at the start of the movie. But it’s part of establishing Lara as a serious martial artist and fighting athlete. I am her MMA coach, and am at the side of the ring as she is sparring. It’s a great wee scene.

Q. On the set what was the working relationship with Alicia Vikander?

A. Well I was only lucky enough to work with Alicia V., and a couple of the other supporting actors, but not any of the other lead actors sadly. Alicia was truly lovely. She is a seriously hard working professional and was really keen to “go for it” with the fight sparring scene we did. I think it turned out really excellent in the film and I am certain people will agree that Alicia looks fantastic. I know she trained really hard for the role.
And there was one take, where Alicia really banged / clashed her shin against her training partner in the ring. It was a “proper” whack ! We all heard it on the set. You could tell it was sore as Hell, but, after taking a few minutes out, she just got right back into it and forced through the pain she was obviously feeling !!! I mean, it was a real “hit”, one I’d have been proud of in my fighting competitive days, haha. It wasn’t so much “funny” but more just how good and serious Alicia took the role !

Q. The movie has an adventure and action plot. Do you love this genre?

A. I absolutely do love action and adventure films. It’s hard doing a new version of something that was so well loved in the recent past, namely the original Tomb Raider. But I think the director - Roar Uthaug, and all the production team, and especially Alicia, have done a superb new version of the Tomb Raider and Lara Croft story.

Q. You practice kickboxing Muay Thai. How did you approach this sport? 

Sure. Well it’s a good few years now since I retired from the ring, just over 11 years, so I only “dabble” now, so to speak, for fitness, fun, and general martial arts training. And of course, for any acting parts or roles that maybe require me to “kick some ass” in the future ! 
I did very well in my career, and retired having won six versions of World Thai and Kickboxing World titles. I was the first Scotsman ever to win a World Thai Boxing title. But I was also the only Scotsman ever to fight on the fantastic “K-1” events in Japan, back in the late 90’s, when K-1 was truly huge !!! It was a good part of my life, and I am proud of what I achieved, especially coming from a small country like Scotland. But that was then, and this is now, haha.

Q. You worked on “Outlaw King”. Can you tell us about this project?

A. Well no, the character I actually play in Outlaw King is called Beaumont. He’s a bit of a nasty English soldier. This is a fantastic film all about the famous king of Scotland Robert the Bruce. It’s directed by Scotland’s top film director David Mackenzie, who did “Hell or High Water”, “Perfect Sense”, “Starred Up”, and many others.
This film is going to be really amazing, and features some superb and brutal action scenes. Robert the Bruce is played by another fantastic Hollywood actor, namely Chris Pine. He was a lovely bloke, and did a fantastic job !

Q. What's your typical day?

A. My typical day ? I don’t know if I have such a thing ? Haha. I normally get up early, do some training, either fitness or martial arts. Then I will work on any scripts for projects I am in, or do some general work to further and progress my career, like arranging meetings, speaking with my agent, marketing, etc, etc.
In my afternoons and evenings, I will switch between biz things I didn’t do in the morning, and maybe more training, again either fitness or martial arts. I also maybe catch up with friends, or media programmes, and so on.

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