Diane Kruger has been riding a wave of accolades lately, and can now be counted as one of the few models to make a successful transition to acting after her attention-grabbing role in “Inglourious Basterds.” But the sojourn to acclaim wasn’t easy (we know that’s hard to believe about a young woman who was the face of Chanel perfume, but hear us out). Because of her modeling past, Kruger, who was born and bred in a small town in Germany, was pigeon-holed as the pretty face to play opposite Hollywood A-listers like Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom.

The actress told Allure magazine that she understood why critics were underwhelmed with her at first – one NYTimes critic said she “looks too beautiful to play role of any substance – but somewhere around “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” she began to desire roles with a little more heft.

When she heard of a part in “Inglourious Basterds,” she paid her own way to the audition, clad in 40s-inspired clothing and blood-red lipstick. Of course, she landed the part of Bridget von Hammersmark, and the doors to Hollywood opened just a tad wider. She’s signed on to play in “Unknown White Male” alongside January Jones and Liam Neeson, a movie due out in 2011.

Now, Kruger is setting her sights on parts with a little bit of humor to them.

“People look at me and think, ‘Oh, she’s from Germany, she looks so composed…but I think I’m a pretty good joke teller, I like pretty crass jokes.”

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