Actress Works to Be a ‘National Treasure’
By Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee, Calif.
Dec. 17–BEVERLY HILLS — Most of Diane Kruger’s acting jobs have been in small independent or foreign films such as “Duelles” and “Mr. Nobody.” That work has been satisfying in a very different way from her role in “National Treasure” and “National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets.”
She found a different appreciation for her art when she saw “National Treasure” with an audience.
“It is the first time in my career I have had a commercial success. I can tell you, as a person, as an actor, that changes everything. People were cheering. They were so happy and laughing. There is no greater reward than that,” Kruger says during an interview to promote the release of the “National Treasure” sequel that hits theaters Friday.
If you want to get caught up on what pleased Kruger so much, “National Treasure: Collector’s Edition” hits stores Tuesday. The two-disc DVD includes the original film plus four featurettes.
The original “National Treasure” was so pleasing for Kruger that she had no trouble slipping back into the role of Abigail Chase for part two — after a slight hesitation.
“It was just like that,” Kruger says with a snap of her fingers. “That’s because we all stayed in touch the two years, three years it has been. Nick [Cage] and myself and Jon [Voight] were a little cautious about ‘do we really want to make a sequel?’ We never anticipated when we shot the first one that we were going to make a sequel, so that is a weird thing for an actor. You go, ‘I don’t know.’
“Then they showed us a synopsis of this one, the plot. And it was terribly interesting: the assassination and the whole thing. So we cautiously signed on with the right to leave if the script did not turn out so well. I have to say I love the script. I really like where they took my character in comparison to the first film.”
In both films, Kruger plays an archivist who gets pressed into adventures outside the office. The German-born actress liked history when she was in school. She just was not good at remembering dates.
“I was fascinated with history. I am very well traveled. And I make it a point to always go to the monuments and read up about it. If anything, I hope this movie would encourage that,” Kruger says. “It is one thing to read about it in a book and remember a date. But it is another to stand in front of Mount Rushmore and see it.
“I just think people should travel more if they can.”
The reporter can be reached at rbentley@fresnobee.com or at (559) 441-6355.
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