Diane Kruger is clearly the uncrowned queen of the red carpet and of the beauty and fashion world, in general. She looks like a thousand bucks even when she is not trying and seems to have an infallible sense of looking good and dressing well 24/7. She seems to be blessed with supermodel genes that never make her look like she’s having a bad day, and can blow your mind, whether she’s dressed in couture or just some street brands.

At 41, she’s clearly here to teach everybody else how to dress and look smoking hot even in a jute sack— though, she hasn’t been all that admired for her acting skills. There have been critics who have dismissed her as an actress because she looked too beautiful to act seriously, but Kruger did not let this come in her way. Her hard work and dedication did come to fruition when she made her German-language debut in Fatih Akin's, In the Fade, and won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress in 2017. So, she’s not just about good looks and a great physique — though, well, let’s be honest, many other beautiful actresses do not hold a candle to her flame. She’s got a potty mouth and most of her co-workers are often delighted by her story and tale-telling skills— so, as beautiful as she is, it’s her inner flame that so attracts people like a moth to the flame. And while we firmly believe that she couldn’t ever look bad, she has made some mistakes along the way, but she remains firmly entrenched as one gal who looks incredible anywhere and in anything.

The Metallic Goddess At Cannes

Kruger was clearly on a roll in 2012, when she wore a sequin Vivienne Westwood gown to the 65th Cannes Film Festival Red Carpet.

The gold and silver metallic number could have looked stiff and flashy, but with its softly falling drapes and folds, it made her look like a futuristic version of her Helen of Troy.

The very soft, sparkly makeup brought out the steel in her eyes and the blush on her cheeks, as she stepped out with her then-beau, Canadian actor, Joshua Jackson. The glittering diamonds in the ears and that side-swept wavy ponytail made her look ethereal.

A Bit Of French Elegance

Clearly, she can strut any street in style, as is clear in this paparazzi picture of Kruger, which may have caught her unaware, but never unprepared.

Dressed in an over-sized, white sweater top that’s carelessly tucked in a black, leather mini-skirt with a zipper detail— Kruger clearly rocks the monochromatic look.

She wears her hair in a short crop and there’s a beret parked on top of her locks, adding to that gamine charm of hers. That’s the thing about Kruger— she’s a veritable fashion chameleon, at home in the most luxurious of red carpet wear, but is equally able to rock day-to-day fashion.

Her Casual Look

According to Coveteur, Kruger recalls that she likes to be strong. Since she was a ballerina, working out and being strong was part of her life. When she started modelling, she switched to ballroom dancing but work pressure made her quit that, too. For years, she didn’t work out at all, but in her 30's, when she gained weight for a movie, the weight wouldn’t come off. So Kruger hit the gym to get fit again. “Now I go four or five times a week—I do Pilates, I do Xtend Barre. I just love it, and it makes me feel strong, and I feel confident.”

She Cannot Be Out Shadowed Even By Salma Hayek

So, Hayek is clearly one gorgeous woman with that exotic accent, busty body, sun-kissed skin tone, and hair, which most women would give an arm and a leg to have.

Even Salma Hayek's gorgeous beauty cannot overshadow the near-perfect natural moment that Diane Kruger seems to be having, as she bursts into charming laughter.

In a short black sequined dress that gives off sparkles of color every now and then, Kruger looks stunning with those open blond locks and red lips. The sunburst earrings are a touch of the whimsy as Kruger proves she is as comfortable in front of the camera, as she is in front of a live audience.

Her Physique May Be The Result Of Being A Ballerina

Kruger often recalls her childhood being a tad tumultuous, and herself as an angry, introverted child. To combat that, she was introduced to dance and became a ballerina – perhaps this was also the reason why the camera never unnerves her – and she is used to expressing her emotions on stage, as she told Vogue.

The dancing has given her a strong body, one that she is seemingly able to maintain. And she does work out a lot.

Barre and pilates are her go to workouts. As far as ballet was concerned, a bum knee propelled Kruger towards modelling instead.

She Was A True Winner At The 2017 Cannes Film Festival

The 2017 Cannes Film Festival seems to have been a turning point in Diane Kruger's life. For the first time, in her role as a woman whose husband and son are killed in an attack, her acting has been appreciated far more than her looks— enough for her to win the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. And at the premiere of this German movie by Fatih Akin, In The Fade, Kruger wowed the world on the red carpet. She wore a design made up of polka dots and floral on a sheer fabric by Jason Wu and we couldn’t think of anyone else who could have pulled off this look to this level of perfection. Dark eyes, a beachy updo, and elegant Chopard jewels completed her look.

Why The Kaftan Diane?

In her heydays, Kruger wasn’t this effortlessly stylish. So at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, she dressed in a rose-colored gown and for some reasons unbeknownst to us, covered it up with a sheer, blue kaftan over it.

She looks so young and has a gorgeous tan, as she kept her makeup down to a minimum and hair pulled away from her sharp cheekbones.

The walk was for the premiere of the movie, Punch-Drunk Love, as she strolled in with Guillaume Canet, and while she looks beautiful, the dress is pretty ugly, to be honest. The sheer kaftan seems more like an afterthought, and we think just the pink gown would have made her look like a goddess.

When Your Dress Reveals A Little Too Much

At the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, Kruger wore an absolutely gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana mini dress in the most beautiful shade of blue.

The dress had a bold, red flower on the bodice and buttons that ran down at the back. Breezy, yet vibrant, the dress made her look like a million bucks.

The only downfall was when she got up on a little podium for a photo shoot— getting down got a little tricky for her, as she ended up giving the photographers a rather clear shot of what she wasn't intending. Of course, in true Kruger style, she laughed it off, as she finally managed to get up.

When She Wore This Red Gown In 2016

After Bey decided to give all the paps a flash of her skin, many celebrities jumped on the bandwagon, revealing a lot but hiding what needed to be hidden, at least, strategically. Diane Kruger wore her own sheer number to the 2016 Oscars, in a very different look. Kruger wore scarlet red, Reem Acra number, which covered all that needed to be covered with well-placed sparkles and accents, but Kruger did go commando underneath that, which basically made many starlets swoon with envy over her absolutely perfect figure. The fringe of the dress helped perfect her strut and cover up a little more as Kruger walked the red carpet in sheer perfection.

She Is Stunning Without Any Makeup Too

When Troy was released, the stunning, but painfully expensive, movie starred Kruger. She beat some 3,000 women to land the role of the woman with the face that could launch a thousand ships.

When the movie released, Kruger got a rather memorable review: “Too beautiful to play a role of any substance,” said New York Times critic Manohla Dargis in 2006.

Kruger was furious at the review, saying why someone would comment about her face when they should have commented about her acting. And since then, Kruger simply ignores the critics. Clearly, with a face that beautiful even minus any makeup, you got to toughen up.

When Single, She Struts Her Stuff In Hearts

In 2016, Kruger and the Canadian actor, Joshua Jackson, finally called it a day after being together for ten years. Sources said the split was amicable and that they parted as friends— but when does that ever happen? According to PopSugar, she was dressed in a sheer dress with hearts flowing all over it by Ellie Saab and, obviously, she turned heads wherever she went.

Newly single, it seemed like Kruger had romance on her mind and her dress seemed to be a statement of just that— even if it wasn’t deliberate.

Wavy locks and red lips create a very come-hither look and, considering that she generally doesn’t use makeup artists, we are pretty sure this red carpet look was done by her only!

She And Joshua Were Made For Each Other— Until They Weren't

Kruger keeps rather mum about her personal life, though, she shared that perhaps marriage was an institution she didn’t believe in much with The Independent. She was with Joshua Jackson for some ten years, and it seemed they were made for each other until they split. According to Elle, the split was initiated by Kruger but it wasn’t an overnight decision— as she said, ten years is a long time. But she did say that being single was liberating, and it was because of this that was able to put her full focus on the movie, In the Fade, which she won a Cannes Best Actress Award for. Jackson was kind enough to gush about his ex when she won the award though…

Then, Kruger Met Norman Reedus

Ever since the split, Kruger has been quietly dating the Walking Dead star, Norman Reedus (played Daryl Dixon on the show). While they haven’t kept their relationship a secret, they haven’t publicized it on the red carpet, either. That is, until the 2018 Critics Choice Awards in January, where the pair formally appeared together as a couple. She dressed in white and he wore black, making quite a striking, monochromatic pair. She wore a Vera Wang with Messika jewelry and Reedus wore a black tux. The bloom of happiness was evident on her face. When asked about love and relationships, Kruger said she was too naïve and easy-going before, according to Redbook. Guess Reedus will face an uphill battle this time!

The Cape Is Here To Stay, Thanks To Her

With her height, those heels, that gorgeous bone structure, and that tiny, tiny waist, Kruger carries a cape dress and owns it, every time. Whether she wears a monochromatic, mini Giambattista Valli with a cropped cape or a fairy-like, embellished Prada gown with a light airy train, cape dresses look stunning on her. So, in 2016, it was no wonder that stepped out in a beautiful, fire-red Naeem Khan cape dress for the 2016 Lola German Film Awards in Berlin. With a floor-sweeping cape and keyhole cutouts on the side and shoulder— the gown made her look stunning. Her toned-down makeup only added to her beauty.

At 41, She Is As Radiant As Any 20-Year-Old

At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, Kruger walked the red carpet in a dove grey, lilac-ish Prada gown that had spaghetti straps, which crisscrossed down a bareback but had an otherwise demure neckline. The bodice was semi-sheer and studded with many a crystal to create an eye-catching demure look, and from the waist down the gown fell to the floor in scallops. With a black, velvet choker and a diamond necklace around her neck and her hair up in a loose, fishtail braid, she gave off some Game of Thrones vibes, while she posed up a storm on the red carpet.

She Can Rock A Mini Like No Other

Perhaps the reason why Kruger looks so super, even in pap shots, is that she has been modeling since the age of 15. She was chosen to represent Germany in the Elite Model Look competition and was asked to move to Paris as a teen. Her mother, Kruger recalls, was so disappointed.

She told The Guardian, “I did not grow up in a household where modelling was even a subject or encouraged. My mother was very much into making sure that I did OK in school because she wanted me not to be dependent on a man because her life had been turned upside down."

"She was very loving but very strict and, if anything, she was incredibly disappointed when I chose to do modeling. She was like, ‘Why would you do that? You don’t look like a model.’”

She Often Makes The Best-Dressed Lists

You would think Kruger has a really amazing stylist with the way she always manages to be on all of the best-dressed lists!

In fact, as Kruger told Glamour, she doesn’t have a stylist. She believes that stylists are more for people who do not enjoy what they are doing but it hasn’t been an issue for her.

And all her gowns are simply borrowed from all of her designer friends because she finds it easier to borrow and wear red carpet splendor than go about buying them for a fortune. For everything else, she mostly depends on online shopping because she finds it easy to shop from the comfort of her home! And here she is, resplendent in a Valentino at the 2015 Venice Film Festival, looking every inch a diva.

Her Street Style Is As Glam As Her Red Carpet Looks

Here is Kruger walking the streets and minding her business on the phone, still looking like a million bucks!

Dressed in jeans and a lacy, sheer top, she finishes the casual look by donning a rather over-sized, faded, olive parka with biker motifs. Tangerine orange nails, Wayfarer sunglasses, and casual flowing locks complete the effortless look.

Kruger told The Independent that when she started modeling, she put intense pressure on herself since she felt she didn’t really look like a model – she’s fit but not scrawny and, plus, at 5’7, she is a lot shorter than the other models around. But when she took the pressure off herself, things got better and brighter!

Her Soft Selfie Look

At 40+, Kruger's skin glows— be it in close-ups or pap shots or even red carpet marvels. But clearly, good skin takes hard work and Kruger isn’t one to shy from the truth. As told to Coveteur, “I do the best, truly, when I get enough sleep. I don’t know why, but I’m really not good on no sleep. A lot of people are not, but if I truly don’t get nine hours, I’m not good. I feel best when I feel rested and also when I feel like I have enough time for myself to do the things that I love doing that is not work. I love work, but I need a day every now and then.” And that people, is the secret behind that youthful glow.

Looking Classy And Youthful

What are her other beauty secrets? Well, she uses a strong SPF 60, even on rainy days— so, if you want flawless skin like hers, do that. But she’s quick to point out her flaws too, saying she had rosacea as a teen and gave up smoking to cull that. Plus, alcohol makes her face look fat, so before an event, she avoids her customary glass of wine, too. She does not pluck her eyebrows and if she finds a product she likes, she tends to stick to it, as she told InStyle. Her go-to cleanser is Cetaphil, she loves the smell of the Nivea moisturizer, as it reminds her of home, and is thrilled about being the face of Chanel.

It’s Not Always A Red Carpet Dress

In 2017, Kruger attended the Unicef Montblanc Gala, wearing a chic Roberto Cavalli jumpsuit, accessorized with Mont Blanc Jewels and a pink, Lee Savage clutch. With her hair done in a side-parted bob and red lips, Kruger looked as effortless as ever, while she posed for the shutterbugs.

If and when she borrows from the masculine attire, she tends to wear structured fabrics with a little embellishment to make for an evening-ready ensemble.

The strapless style really suits her, considering she is toned from head to toe and looks beautiful without trying too hard. Plus, let’s face it, a pantsuit or a jumpsuit is a lot more practical than long train dresses, which have made celebrities trip.

Her Fierce Feminist Look

She was on the cover of the Town & Country magazine in 2016 and opened up about the gender pay gap in Hollywood. She clearly stated that she had yet to be paid the same as her male co-stars. She also said that if and when she had spoken about something, there were three responses she got. One was to be labeled something rather unsavory, the other was that she was being difficult to work with, and the third was that she had no idea what she was talking about! She also hates being labeled as just a pretty face and would rather that people like her more about her work, than what she wore on the red carpet last evening…

The Sequined Chanel Fail

Sometimes, even the greats have a fall. And so, in 2014, Kruger ended up on the worst-dressed list. Why? Well, the outfit speaks for itself. The sequined, glittery crop jacket and skirt was a little too much for even the most sequin-savvy to handle. All that bling does nothing for Kruger and literally tones down her natural beauty. Plus, let’s not talk about the floppy bow tie either. The boring up-do and toned-down makeup do not revive the look and frankly, it looks as if she wants to be anywhere but there!

Another White, Sheer Disaster

So okay, her face looks as pretty as ever at the 2015 Met Gala, but the outfit is a little bit too matched-up to actually look good.

Kruger loves a dress and pant combo as much as she does cape dresses and here, she wore a strapless, embellished tunic with sheer, lace pants by Chanel.

She wore tangerine red lipstick and carried a red clutch, plus, had her nails painted red to match everything a little too well. The flowers in the hair look strange, as does the lone bangle on her arm and all together, the outfit falls flat.

The Worst Golden Globe Dress Ever

You would think she was auditioning for the role of Jasmine in Aladdin on Broadway, but you’d be wrong. This is Kruger on the Golden Globes red carpet in 2005, and yes, this is what she wore to the rather glitzy gala. Why? Well, we think this is how it went down— she ordered a skirt and a top from a designer but the top never arrived. So, she decided to wear a metallic tube top instead but found that the midriff-baring was a tad much. So she turned the skirt around, and then stitched up the long train of the skirt to the tube top, thereby, hiding her modesty but basically making a complete ditz of herself. Now, where was the magic carpet to swoop down and fly her away?

References: Redbook.com, Vogue.com, Glamour.co.uk, Independent.ie, TheGuardian.com, Instyle.com, Popsugar.com, Coveteur.com, Elle.com and TownandCountryMag.com