{"id":492241,"date":"2024-05-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1970-01-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/numero.com\/non-classifiee-2\/cannes-2024-interview-with-diane-kruger-heroine-of-david-cronenbergs-new-film\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T10:42:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T09:42:17","slug":"cannes-2024-interview-with-diane-kruger-heroine-of-david-cronenbergs-new-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/numero.com\/en\/culture-en\/movies\/cannes-2024-interview-with-diane-kruger-heroine-of-david-cronenbergs-new-film\/","title":{"rendered":"Cannes 2024: Interview with Diane Kruger, star of David Cronenberg\u2019s new film"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Diane Kruger en Atelier Versace au Festival de Cannes 2024. \u00a9 Versace.<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n \n

Some actresses feel right at home in Cannes<\/strong>. Such is the case of Diane Kruger<\/strong><\/a>, who has been walking the red carpet for twenty years and is once again presenting a film in competition this year. The former model, long-time close friend of Karl Lagerfeld<\/strong> and most French of Germans has built her career in cinema between Europe and Hollywood, from Troy <\/em>to Inglourious Basterds<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>

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In The Shrouds<\/em>, she embodies three fragile roles, far from the glamorous image she has been associated with. She both plays a departed woman who returns to haunt her husband (played by Vincent Cassel<\/strong>), who observes the decaying body of his late wife thanks to a camera system installed in his grave, the sister of the dead woman, and a digital avatar. Nume\u0301ro <\/em>has met Diane Kruger<\/strong> to discuss a feature which stands out in the Canadian director\u2019s filmography and has taken the actress far.<\/p>

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Interview with Diane Kruger, star of David Cronenberg\u2019s The Shrouds<\/em>, in competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival<\/h2>

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Nume\u0301ro : David Cronenberg picked you for a very personal role, since <\/strong>The Shrouds <\/strong><\/em>was inspired by the memory of his late wife, who died of cancer in 2017…<\/strong>
Diane Kruger: <\/strong>When I received the script, I didn\u2019t know how autobiographical the film was. David Cronenberg<\/a> only told me about when we met. To be honest, I was a bit shocked. I realized that I was going to play with Vincent Cassel, who, with his hair and looks, was going to look exactly like David. I was going to play his departed wife. It was difficult on set at times because of that. It wasn\u2019t at all because David put the pressure on me, but when you see my character\u2019s physical state deteriorating, I couldn\u2019t help but think that the director was reliving difficult moments he had been through behind the scenes. To some extent, I acted like the ghost of his past, even if The Shrouds <\/em>is not a realistic film about this memory – everything is exaggerated and serves a general aesthetic.<\/p>\n

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Diane Kruger et Vincent Cassel dans Les Linceuls (2024) de David Cronenberg. \u00a9 Copyright Pyramide Distribution.<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n \n

“I\u2019m a fan of Cronenberg\u2019s work, even though I\u2019m not a fan of horror movies.” Diane Kruger<\/h2>

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What did you gain from working with such a seasoned director as David Cronenberg?<\/strong><\/p>

I’m a fan of his work, even though I\u2019m not a fan of horror movies. His universe expands far beyond that genre and uses a tone specific to him. Before I became an actress, I was familiar with his filmography. I remember The Fly<\/strong><\/em>, which has traumatized me for life, yet I can\u2019t help watching it (Laughs<\/em>). His films can be disturbing, but his vision remains profoundly human. I was very moved that he chose me for this project, which is undoubtedly his most personal and perhaps most accessible one. I can see the soul of David Cronenberg in The Shrouds<\/em>. His creations usually stand out for their cold, detached texture and gore aspect. Here, we find all of that, but with something extra.<\/p>

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In practice, what does it mean to work with a 81-year-old seasoned director?<\/strong><\/p>

Surprisingly, David doesn\u2019t read the script with the actors beforehand, nor does he rehearse before filming the scenes. I was baffled because I\u2019m not used to that. If this film would have been shot ten years ago, I\u2019m not sure I would have been able to do it. You really have to be ready. On a set like this, you have to respect every word, you can\u2019t improvise. You don\u2019t try, you just go for it. There were no acting instructions or references in the script, just a simple conversation before we started. It happened for David and I to have a chat on set when I was feeling vulnerable because of the nude scenes. I don\u2019t normally do that, but the naked scenes were essential as the film is about the body, about the physical love you can feel for someone who is alive, and then one day is gone. David reassured me and explained to me how the shadows would work.<\/p>\n

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