Diane Kruger Biography

Born Diane Heidkruger in Hildesheim, Germany, Diane Kruger initially aspired to be a dancer and studied with the Royal Ballet in London.

When an injury ended her hopes for a dancing career, she began modeling in Germany, where she became a finalist of the Look of the Year contest at the age of 15. She worked with renowned fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana, and her pictures graced the covers of magazines like Vogue and Elle.

Moving to Paris on the advice of film director Luc Besson, Kruger decided to take up acting and enrolled in the Ecole Florent, where she became top of her class in 2002. The same year, the actress made her big-screen debut opposite Dennis Hopper and Christopher Lambert in the indie feature The Piano Player (aka The Target), but she was not truly revealed until her role in Mon Idole, co-starring and directed by her real-life companion Guillaume Canet. After a couple more acting assignments in France.

Kruger began her Hollywood career by acting alongside Josh Hartnett and Rose Byrne in Wicker Park, a remake of the 1996 French film L'Appartement. While still filming Wicker Park in 2003,.

she was selected among many other candidates to play the legendary beauty Helen of Troy in Wolfgang Petersen's historical epic Troy (2004). The latter film ended up being released before Wicker Park, thus becoming her high-profile introduction to the American public.

Kruger made her film debut in “The Piano Player” (2002), starring Christopher Lambert and Dennis Hopper, and directed by Jean-Pierre Roux. The movie never saw a theatrical release, but did manage to find itself on video store shelves. Kruger then starred in “Mon Idole” (2002), helmed by her husband, French director Guillaume Canet (“The Beach”).

In the black comedy about a Jerry Springer-like talk show host, Kruger played Clara, the wife of the show’s producer who gets romantically involved with the host. Kruger then appeared in “Ni Pour Ni Contra” (“Not For or Against”, 2003), directed by NYU grad Cedric Klapisch. Next Kruger had a starring role in “Michel Vaillant” (2003), a live-action take on a popular French comic strip from the 1950’s.

It wasn’t until being cast in “Troy” that Kruger got an opportunity to be exposed to American audiences. Though she was unknown to Hollywood, director Wolfgang Petersen knew that Kruger would be able to pull off the role. “Diane is not only a stunning beauty but a gifted actress with tremendous depth and presence,” he was quoted at the time she was cast.

Petersen saw in her an ethereal, slightly melancholy quality that none of the other actresses possessed, which was perfect for her character, Helena, who is married off against her wishes to Menelaus, the king of Sparta, and spends much of her time brooding and weeping. At the time of the film’s release, Kruger was fast becoming a hot commodity.

She was quickly signed to several new projects, including the steamy thriller “Wicker Park” (2004), a remake of the 1996 French film “L’Appartement,” opposite Josh Hartnett and her "Troy" co-star Rose Byrne; and “National Treasure” (2004), co-starring Nicolas Cage and Harvey Keitel. In a few short months, Kruger went from virtual unknown to the industry’s most sought-after actress.