Diane Kruger: Beautiful Adventuress

In Troy, her face launched a thousand ships and then she was romantically challenged in Wicker Park opposite Josh Hartnett. Now, gorgeous, German-born Diane Kruger plays a Washington, D.C. archivist turned treasure hunter protecting the Declaration of Independence, following clues and braving danger with Nicolas Cage in National Treasure. We understand that the adventure didn't stop when the cameras stopped rolling on this film. Nic, Diane, co-star Justin Bartha and crew hit the karaoke bars in various national locations to blow off steam.

We spoke with Diane again (we interviewed her for Wicker Park) in L.A.'s Century City and wow, she looked "blonde siren" hot in white sparkle beaded sweater top, brown chiffon skirt by Chloe, satin pumps and two big pearl rings by Chanel. "Nothing belongs to me to tell you the truth. It all has to go back!" Bummer! With the bare trace of a German accent, the beautiful actress spoke about everything from how fame is effecting her to how she faired doing stunts and survived Nic Cage's wacky humor.

TeenHollywood: Maybe Chanel will let you keep the rings.

Diane: Yeah trust me I've been calling them all day.

TeenHollywood: How do you feel about being the new "it" girl?

Diane: It's silly. What does that mean the new it girl? There's like a hundred girls behind me waiting to have their big break through. I don't care what people say about who I am or if I'm cool or hip or whatever. It's obviously a good position to be in because people want to meet you but it's also really a dangerous thing. A girl can just as quickly become a has been as well.

TeenHollywood: Everyone has a quirky Nicolas Cage story, what's yours?

Diane: Do you have five hours? There are tons. He's really funny and a little eccentric and a little crazy. Like one day, for whatever reason, he decided to just speak in a Scottish accent all day, which drove everybody insane.

TeenHollywood: We hear he's a karaoke-singin' fool!

Diane: He's pretty good. He looks like a rock star. He wears orange leopard skin pants, so that alone will stand out, and we rented those rooms where you actually have like a stage, and we had a band that would play the karaoke songs.

TeenHollywood: He's in orange leopard pants? Whew! What were you wearing?

Diane: (laughs) I looked very plain next to him, that's for sure. We were all in jeans, but he dressed for the part. A true actor.

TeenHollywood: So, was it a little nerve-wracking your first day on the set with Nicolas Cage?

Diane: Yes, very much so, especially the screen test. I was very star-struck, I have to say.

TeenHollywood: We've heard that he was actually intimidated by you!

Diane: I've heard that since yesterday and I wish it was true. Actually, I was really extremely star-struck and I didn't know if I was going to get the job. There were two other girls that were testing for the movie, and I've seen every single film Nic's ever been in. Three years ago I just started drama school and here I was in Hollywood screen-testing in this very surreal situation and I was terrified he would think I'm a terrible actress, so I couldn't even look him in the eye. I was a little standoffish just because I wanted to make sure I didn't screw up my screen test, so maybe he thought I was odd.

TeenHollywood: I think he was blown away by how pretty you are. Jerry Bruckheimer said you were the girl who took the part seriously instead of playing it as a comedy.

TeenHollywood: That's true, because I didn't see it as a comedic part. The situations she finds herself in are funny, but she's not the funny person. That's Justin or Nick to a certain extent.

TeenHollywood: Did you go look at the real Declaration of Independence after getting the part?

Diane: I'd never been to Washington or Philadelphia and obviously I had a lot of reading up to do as a European. I lived in New York for many years and most of my friends actually are American, and so going to Washington and going to the Smithsonian and then actually going to see the Declaration of Independence, it really kind of moved me, because I do, in a way feel like I'm a little bit American. I've lived and worked here most of my life. It was a pretty cool thing.

TeenHollywood: Did you learn anything about America that you didn't know before?

Diane; Yeah, a lot. Fortunately, little stupid things that stuck with me like why America is called America for example. Like I had no idea. I was really surprised by women's right to vote, the fight that they had was so much earlier than in Europe.

TeenHollywood: How tough was it when an injury terminated your dancing career?

Diane: I think it has always been written a little more dramatic than it actually was. There was a moment where I was 13 going on 14 and had danced for 11 years, and I just felt, 'do I really have the guts to do this?', because it's really a tough world to be in for very little reward. I wasn't sure if I had the talent to become a prima ballerina, so I just thought 'I don't,' and I gave it up.

TeenHollywood: Did being a dancer or being athletic help you with the stunts? Was that you hanging off the van door?

Diane: I was hanging off the door. Yes! Obviously the stunt lady did all the really dangerous stuff, but you still get banged up a lot. Trust me, I will not be the next Lara Croft. I had enough after one week. I was like 'Get me off this harness.' It's really tough. It's a whole other level of respect for stunt people. So I thought I was athletic but obviously I'm not.

TeenHollywood: Very few German actors are popular in Hollywood – are you a national hero in Germany now?

Diane: So says my mom. No, I don't know. All I want is to act, whether that means doing theatre in Poland or getting a great part in an Italian film. But I got the Women's World Award. Mikhail Gorbachev is the chairman of that, and I got an award in Cannes for breakthrough talent, and I will be getting the Bambi Award this year in Germany. The Bambi is the most important award in Germany. It's like the German Oscar in a way. It's a really cute award, it's a [deer], like a golden Bambi.

TeenHollywood: How do you think this film will travel in Europe at this point in history?

Diane: Hopefully well. We all know right now America has a very delicate position in the rest of the world, but I think it will travel well because every country is proud of their own history; and I think there's nothing wrong with that. This movie I think celebrates that so I think people will like it.

TeenHollywood: With Justin Bartha being a newcomer, did he ask you for any advice, and how was it working with him?

Diane: He would be giving free advice to me. He really had a difficult part because when you are filming, making a joke is funny three or four times and then it gets really annoying so it's really difficult. And when I saw the film, I was immensely proud of him because I feel like he's a true scene stealer in a good sense. He is so funny and spot on. Hopefully this movie will do a lot for him. I think he's a great actor.

TeenHollywood: You modeled first. How do you compare modeling to acting?

Diane: Well it's certainly not intellectually very challenging. But, it was a really great job to have as a young girl because it allowed me to live all over the world, move to Paris, move to New York. I learned some French. It gave me financial independence at a very young age which put me through drama school when I finally decided to become an actor. I didn't have to work on the side, which is a huge luxury. I met incredible people, traveled the world, and I feel like that helps me in my acting.

TeenHollywood: Aren't you doing a few ads now?

Diane: Yeah, I just signed with Lancôme. Sure, there's a lot of money to be made, and it's not like I make twenty million dollars a movie at this point. I might not ever. If I do something now my name would be associated with it, so I want to make sure it's quality brand or quality image. I'm replacing Uma Thurman and she's going to do Louis Vuitton. Is that funny? We just switch.

TeenHollywood: What's your personal style?

Diane: I like to look nice but not at work. It's silly. But when I go out to dinner, sure. I like to wear heels and put a bit of blush on and look nice.I love Chanel for red carpet though. They're one of my favorites actually.

TeenHollywood: You sounded pretty American to me in the film. Where did you learn English?

Diane: In New York and also being in ballet school. I was studying at the Royal Academy, so we had English teachers. And I have been working on it really hard. It is quite difficult to get that, because you really place your tongue differently and it's really frustrating, and you do feel like a moron. It's hard work but I will get there one day.

TeenHollywood: What are you working on now?

Diane: I'm doing a movie right now in Romania; a European film and it's a true story about World War I, how on Christmas Eve they laid down their weapons, and they buried their dead, and they played football in no-man's-land. It's a really beautiful project and I play an opera singer in German. It's called Merry Christmas. It's a French, English and German production. They are actually building a monument in the middle of France where that incident happened in memory of all the soldiers that fell. I'm also hoping to do this independent film for next year with Ed Harris called Copying Beethoven.

***

Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.