Diane Kruger (born 15 July 1976) is a German actress and former fashion model. She gained worldwide recognition by starring in blockbuster films such as Troy, National Treasure and Inglourious Basterds. She won the Cannes Film Festival Chopard Trophy in 2003. She received the Golden Kamera in Germany in 2010 for her role in Inglourious Basterds.
Kruger soon became interested in acting and took lessons at the Cours Florent. She landed some small appearances in several French films. She then shortened her surname to ease her film career.
She made her onscreen debut in 2002 opposite Dennis Hopper and Christopher Lambert in The Piano Player, a TV-movie by Jean-Pierre Roux. Her first major role was the same year when she starred in her then husband's directorial debut "Mon Idole". She played Julie Wood in 2003's Michel Valliant and Lisa in Wicker Park (2004), alongside Josh Hartnett and Rose Byrne. One of her most notable roles to date is her portrayal of Helen in Wolfgang Petersen's epic Troy. She was ranked Number 50 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2005.
In 2004, Kruger starred with Nicolas Cage and Sean Bean (who co-starred with her in Troy) in the popular film National Treasure, going on to appear in movies such as Joyeux Noël (2005) and Copying Beethoven (2006). She reprised her role as Dr. Abigail Chase in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, released in December 2007.
Kruger was the hostess of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. She was also a member of the jury of the 59th Berlin International Film Festival in 2008.
In 2009, she co-starred as a German actress turned saboteur in Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds. Kruger stars in 2010 in the Liam Neeson film Unknown White Male alongside January Jones.
In December 2009, she announced the nominations of the 67th Golden Globe Awards and also picked up nominations from the Screen Actors Guild for Best Supporting Actress and Outstanding Performance by a Cast of a Motion Picture for her role in Inglourious Basterds.
