Diane Kruger (born 15 July 1976) is a German actress and former fashion model who gained international recognition from 2004 to 2009 for her performances in the films Troy, Wicker Park, National Treasure, Joyeux Noël and Inglourious Basterds. She won the Cannes Film Festival Chopard Trophy in 2003.

Kruger was born Diane Heidkrüger in Algermissen, Germany, near Hildesheim. She is the daughter of bank employee Maria-Theresa and computer specialist Hans-Heinrich Heidkrüger. She was raised in Germany with her younger brother, Stefan. As a child, Kruger wanted to become a ballerina and successfully auditioned for the Royal Ballet School in London. After an injury ended her ballet career prematurely, Kruger moved to Paris and turned her energies toward modeling.

In 1992, at the age of 16, Kruger was a finalist in Elite's "Look of the Year" competition. She returned to Germany and became a successful model in the mid-1990s in Germany and France. Kruger speaks German, French, and English.