Diane Kruger gets tougher roles

Diane Kruger reckons starring in 'Inglourious Basterds' made Hollywood realise she is a tough girl.

The German born ex-model said her role in the Quentin Tarantino World War II film - where she plays a straight talking German actress secretly working with the Allies - has helped her avoid being typecast as a romantic interest for male leads.

Speaking about her latest role as a Bosnian taxi driver in action film 'Unknown', she said: "I feel like before 'Inglourious Basterds', in America, they would've probably offered me the part played by January Jones in the film, because that's a more obvious part for me to play.

"So I loved it that they offered me this. It's cool to think they said, 'Illegal Bosnian immigrant taxi driver - let's get Diane Kruger!' I'm not sure that would've been the obvious thing before.

"I think I was perceived as such a European, dainty, pretty actress."

Diane, 34, also revealed her character - who helps co-star Liam Neeson's character when he wakes up after an accident to realise no-one recognises him and his identity has been stolen - has had a traumatic past.

She added to The Independent newspaper: "Obviously, this is not the kind of movie that is going to go into any deep detail. But we learn that she's watched her entire family be assassinated.

"And I just thought it was interesting in a movie like this - a genre film - to have a little bit of a social background."