(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Diane Kruger says the hardest thing shes ever gone through was realising her self-righteousness was misplaced as she can be stupid sometimes.
The German star trained as a ballerina as a child, but injury put paid to a dance career. She then became a model before eventually moving into film-making, where she feels happiest.
Diane has always prided herself on being smart, but as shes got older shes began to realise there are wide gaps in her knowledge. The 34-year-old admits that was a bitter pill to swallow, as she used to think she was extraordinarily clever.
Getting older, I realised I didn't know anything, she explained. I felt incredibly stupid. I've always been very self-righteous. I've always been like, 'I speak three different languages, I'm so accomplished.' And everyone tells me, 'You're so pretty', and then it was a big realisation that I don't understand anything, that I feel like I'm not cultured enough, that I'm stupid sometimes.
Diane has now made it her mission to learn more, something her partner Joshua Jackson has helped her with. The pair have been together since 2006, and one of the things Diane loves most about her beau is that hes so inquisitive.
I want to work on 'me' much more, she told British newspaper The Independent.
Josh is someone who is very grounded. It's pure, there's no bulls**t. He is very curious and is someone who always reads and is very politically engaged. He awakened the urge to ask more questions. You can take so many things for granted, because you read them and think it must be true, and he's not like that.
Diane finds it annoying that so many people judge her on her looks. Movie bosses are often amazed when they meet her because shes a big curser, and much more fun than they expect.
Her beauty means some presume shes had a charmed life, but that isnt true. Diane describes her upbringing as humble, and her childhood was blighted by her fathers alcoholism. Her parents eventually divorced when she was 13, but her dads problems have continued to impact her life choices.
I don't want to sound like a sob story. Everyone has issues. But because of my Dad's illness, my Mum had to go through a lot. She was the one that had to go to work and raise us kids alone. She was strong but because I was the eldest, I definitely saw her doubts and fears and her struggles as a woman, she explained.
Because of my dad, I was never tempted by drugs or alcohol [when I was young]. (C) Cover Media