Rhona Mitra has been on the 
scene for over twenty years now, way long enough to have the career she deserves. But unfortunately, she never got the career she deserves, and it’s a mystery I’m unable to solve. What happened? Rhona looks like she doesn’t take any shit. Maybe she pissed off the wrong person and it changed the course of her career history. Maybe Harvey Weinstein dropped his pants in her presence, and she either laughed at his johnson or kicked his ass… then laughed at it. So what happened to Rhona Mitra? Surely, there’s an explanation.
Many people believe that human beings are the sole architects of their destinies. I believe that too… to a certain extent. Because I also believe in luck… both good and bad.
When I see the kind of people getting gigs in Hollywood, I see a lot of lucky people. Kevin Smith immediately comes to mind. (Sorry Kev) Most of the “action” actresses I’ve seen onscreen in the last twenty years are pretty lucky too. They’re also unbelievable to the point of being laughable. I could name names, but you know who they are. They’re the ones getting the gigs. While Michelle Rodriguez is the notable exception, she never got the career she deserved either. (I need to do a blog on her career)
Luck is important. Knowing and blowing the right people doesn’t hurt either. (at least that’s what I’ve heard) Maybe somewhere along the way, Rhona Mitra made a choice, and that choice is the reason she’s not the icon she deserves to be.
Back in the day before she was 
well known, Rhona was the live action model for Lara Croft in the interactive Tomb Raider video game series. The part fit her like a leather glove. When plans for the Tomb Raider film were announced, she was the natural choice for the film too. She was the obvious choice. Losing the role to Angelina Jolie set in motion a bizarre and unfair pattern that would repeat again and again throughout her entire career. Lesser actresses would get roles Rhona was born to play.
Rhona Mitra was born to be 
an action star. Even her name is badass. She has an unusual, exotic beauty and the camera is riveted by her. She’s an odd beauty, a compelling mix of soft lines, hard angles and piercing eyes. She’s the epitome of femininity… with a dash of androgyny? She’s got a look tailor made for the LGBT community. Her appeal crosses the entire demographic spectrum which is near impossible. The most striking thing about her is her brain. It’s obvious she’s got one, and no matter what role she’s playing, you always see her brain as well as her body. She’s hot, but she’s definitely no bimbo. Rhona Mitra is the total package.
To be clear, Rhona has had a 
busy and varied career. Compared to many actresses, she’s had a lucky career too. She’s gigged regularly since she first emerged on the scene. She’s worked extensively in television, and she’s also appeared in a number of high profile films. She’s played a wide variety of roles. She’s a versatile actress with plenty of range. Rhona has certainly tasted success, so this isn’t meant to be a pity blog. I’m just curious.
In the last twenty years, female action stars have become more prominent in the film industry, and to a certain extent in television as well. And Rhona has been on the scene all along with enough high profile gigs to be noticed. Which begs the question I posed earlier… what happened? Why haven’t we seen Rhona in the roles given to lesser actresses?
My first time seeing Rhona 
was in the 2008 film Doomsday. I’d never even heard of Rhona Mitra before that film. She blew me away. And unlike so many other “action” actresses (who shall go nameless), she was believable. From the very first sequence, she totally owned the film and I became an instant fan. I was sure I was looking at an action icon in the making. But it didn’t happen. Maybe it was because the film wasn’t a massive hit. I saw it on the home screen, so I don’t know if it even got a theatrical release. Regardless, the film was entertaining and well made, so it should have launched her action career. Yet it didn’t. In comparison, the film Equilibrium isn’t particularly well known either, nor was it a hit. But that film led to Christian Bale being cast as Batman. I would argue that Rhona is a more compelling presence than Christian Bale, but I digress.
I’ve suggested that perhaps 
Rhona made a conscious choice that determined the direction of her career. Maybe she didn’t even want to be an action star, but rather wanted to be known simply as a versatile actress. That’s entirely possible, even probable. Still, it’s kind of sad. Because Doomsday showed the world what we could have had.
Rhona Mitra is the action star who never was.