Three years ago, Diane Kruger was just another model trying to make it as an actress. Then the German beauty beat out thousands of others for the role of Helen in “Troy,” opposite scantily clad studs Brad Pitt, Eric Bana and Orlando Bloom … and everything changed, virtually, overnight. Kruger then got down in “Wicker Park” with Josh Hartnett and can currently be seen smooching Nicolas Cage in “National Treasure.” The 28-year-old dished to us recently about her incredible good fortune.
On working with Nic Cage: “I was totally star-struck when I first met him. He’s always been one of my favorite actors, and I’ve had a crush on him since I was 12. He turned out to be exactly the way I imagined he’d be: A little eccentric, a little crazy, and very, very funny.”
On working with Hollywood heartthrobs: “Three years ago, I was in drama school, and now I’m here and I’ve worked with these amazing guys. It’s still kind of surreal. It hasn’t sunk in yet. When I worked with Josh Hartnett, all my girlfriends went crazy and wanted to know how it was to kiss him. But, really, it’s not as sexy as people think. It’s not like we’re making out for real. It’s embarrassing to take off your clothes in front of a guy when there are 60 other people in the room.”
On modeling versus acting: “The goal of the model is to look beautiful in every single picture and to pose for the camera. Acting is just the opposite — forgetting about the camera and not always worrying about looking good.”
On giving up her dream of being a professional ballerina at the age of 13: “It was one of those times in life where you have to be truthful with yourself and analyze your situation. Did I really want to do that? Did I have enough talent? Ballet is a very difficult world, and even if you make it to the top, it’s a very limited career.”
On the pros and cons of fame: “My life so far hasn’t changed all that much on the negative side. Even if people come up to me on the street, it’s only to say they liked me in a movie. It did get a little crazy in Germany after ‘Troy’ was released, with the press really trying to dig up stuff about me and my family. But right now I’m just happy people care.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 19, 2004. Read the original PDF.