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Kristin Laura Kreuk (Template:IPAc-en;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> born December 30, 1982) is a Canadian actress. Debuting on teen drama Edgemont, she became most known for her television roles as Lana Lang in the superhero television series Smallville (2001–2011), Catherine Chandler in The CW sci-fi series Beauty & the Beast (2012–2016) and as Joanna Hanley in the CBC legal drama series Burden of Truth (2018–2021). In 2009, she portrayed Chun-Li in the American martial arts film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.
Early life
[edit]Kreuk was born in Vancouver, British Columbia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to Deanna Che and Peter Kreuk, two landscape architects.<ref name="tribute">Template:Cite web</ref> Her father is of Dutch descent. Her mother is of Chinese descent, born in Indonesia. Her maternal grandmother was Chinese Jamaican.<ref>E Talk Daily, 58 seconds into referenced clip (Aired Tuesday January 30, 2007 on CTV). Retrieved February, 2007.</ref> Her mother and grandmother lived in Singapore and the Solomon Islands before settling in Vancouver.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> She has a younger sister, Justine Kreuk.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Kreuk trained in karate<ref name=tribute/><ref name="six">Template:Cite news</ref> and gymnastics at the national level until high school but quit in grade 11 due to scoliosis.<ref name=six/> Kreuk was planning to study forensic science or psychology at Simon Fraser University and was surprised when a casting director for the CBC television series Edgemont contacted her at her high school.<ref name=tribute/>
Career
[edit]Television
[edit]
After filming the first season of Edgemont (a teenage soap opera set at a Vancouver-area high school) and getting herself an agent, Kreuk landed the lead role of Snow White in a TV movie, Snow White: The Fairest of Them All, which aired on ABC, and later released on DVD, in 2002. In mid-2004, Kreuk took the role of Tenar for the Sci-Fi Channel's two-part miniseries Earthsea. The miniseries was filmed in Vancouver, directed by Robert Lieberman and broadcast on December 13, 2004.
After Snow White, Kreuk's agent sent an audition tape to screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who at the time were putting together the cast of a show they had created for the WB Network (now The CW) entitled Smallville. The series, which was slated to be shot in Vancouver, revolves around the life of teenager Clark Kent before he becomes Superman. Gough and Millar called Kreuk to WB's studios in Burbank, California to audition for the role of Clark Kent's first love, Lana Lang, and she was later cast in the part. For a while, Kreuk was starring on both Smallville and Edgemont, although her role on Edgemont slightly diminished over time. Edgemont ended its run in 2005. After seven seasons, Kreuk left Smallville in the beginning of 2008, when her character leaves town. She returned as a guest star in the show's 8th season for five episodes to conclude her storyline.
In 2009, Kreuk signed on for a multi-episode arc in season three of Chuck.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She played Hannah, a computer troubleshooter who joins the Buy More Nerd Herd after being laid off from her previous job.
In 2010, she portrayed Judah Ben-Hur's sister Tirzah in the TV movie Ben Hur, which aired in Canada and later on ABC in the United States.
Kreuk was involved with two pilots that did not get picked up: a 2010 CBS sitcom entitled Hitched (which was co-created by Josh Schwartz, who was also the creator of Chuck)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a 2011 NBC drama series called 17th Precinct, which was made by Ronald D. Moore.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In February 2012, Kreuk was announced as the lead female character in The CW's reboot of Beauty & the Beast,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which was picked up on May 11, 2012, and started airing in Fall 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The CW announced in October 2015 that the show's upcoming fourth season, scheduled to air over the summer of 2016, would be its final season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The series finale aired on August 25, 2016.
In 2018, Kreuk played the lead role in Burden of Truth, a CBC Television production in which she portrays a "big-city lawyer who takes on a case for a group of sick girls in her hometown". The show premiered on January 10, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="cbcbof">Template:Cite web</ref> On April 5, 2018, The CW announced that they had acquired the rights to air the show beginning in summer 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> CBC has renewed Burden of Truth for a fourth season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The series concluded in 2021 after four seasons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024 Kreuk stars in Murder in a Small Town, which airs on Global in Canada, and Fox in the United States,<ref name="cbc news2023">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Films
[edit]Kreuk appeared in the comedy film EuroTrip (2004), playing the girlfriend who cheats on the protagonist with a musician (played by Matt Damon).
In early 2005, Kreuk signed on to the Canadian independent film Partition (2007), playing Naseem, a vulnerable 17-year-old whose world is shattered by the trauma of the Partition of India in 1947; the character also falls in love with an ex-British Indian Army officer. In the summer of 2006, Kreuk starred in the short film, Dream Princess by comic book writer/artist Kaare Andrews. The film is a modern sci-punk retelling of the tale of Sleeping Beauty, with a twist. However, it never aired.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kreuk starred in the film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009), in which she played the title character, Chun-Li.<ref name="comingsoon">Template:Cite web</ref> She tested for the sequel Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), with the role going to Paula Patton.
In early 2010, Kreuk signed onto the Japanese horror film Vampire (2011).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, Kreuk also starred in the music video "I Heard" by musician Hill Zaini.<ref name="hill">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Kreuk stars as Heather in the film Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy (2011), based on Irvine Welsh's novel. She also stars as Tilda in the science fiction comedy film Space Milkshake (2012).
Film production
[edit]Kreuk, with Rosena Bhura, whom Kreuk met on the set of Partition, started a production company called Parvati Creative Inc, which focuses on "human-centric films as seen through a female lens".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Parvati's first production was a short film directed by Rick Rosenthal called Blink, of which Kreuk is listed as an executive producer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The second project was a comedy web series titled Queenie which featured Kreuk's friend Olivia Cheng.
Advertising work
[edit]In 2003, Neutrogena made her the spokesmodel for their worldwide advertising campaign. In this role, Kreuk followed in the footsteps of fellow teen stars such as Jennifer Love Hewitt and Mandy Moore. In 2005, she renewed her contract with Neutrogena for another two years, becoming the company's longest-serving model spokesperson.<ref>Kristin Kreuk bio on "Partition" web site</ref>
Voice acting
[edit]In August 2017, Kreuk provided the voice for Princess Shuyan in Shuyan Saga, a graphic novel series set in an ancient Chinese martial arts fantasy universe.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> She also reprised her role as Catherine Chandler from Beauty & the Beast on Robot Chicken.<ref>Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Personal life
[edit]Kreuk holds a purple belt in Shotokan karate, and is learned in acrobatics and wushu.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Kreuk moved back to Vancouver in September 2022,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> after living in Toronto for a few years to study her undergraduate degree and pursue producing opportunities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She stated on Live! with Kelly and Michael in October 2012 that she is a pescetarian.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="veggie">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
In November 2017, Kreuk and her Smallville co-star Allison Mack were linked to a multi-level marketing organization and cult known as NXIVM, which was founded by Keith Raniere. In March 2018, following Raniere's arrest, Kreuk disclosed on her Twitter account that she had joined NXIVM believing it was a "self-help" group but left in 2014, and had not witnessed any illegal or nefarious activities during her time in the group. Kreuk's statement was backed by actress Sarah Edmondson, who had participated in exposing NXIVM's activities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Filmography
[edit]Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Snow White: The Fairest of Them All | Snow White | Television film |
| The Weekenders | Gina | Episode: "My Punky Valentine"; voice role | |
| 2001–2005 | Edgemont | Laurel Yeung | Main role; 67 episodes |
| 2001–2009 | Smallville | Lana Lang | Main role (seasons 1–7, recurring season 8); 154 episodes |
| Louise McCallum | Episode: "Relic" | ||
| Margaret Isobel Thoreaux | 3 episodes | ||
| 2004 | Earthsea | Tenar | Television miniseries |
| 2010 | Ben Hur | Tirzah | Television mini-series |
| Chuck | Hannah | Recurring role; 4 episodes | |
| 2012–2016 | Beauty & the Beast | Catherine Chandler | Main role; 70 episodes, also producer |
| 2015 | Robot Chicken | Oblina / Catherine Chandler | Episode: "Ants on a Hamburger"; voice role |
| 2018–2021 | Burden of Truth | Joanna Hanley, later Joanna Chang | Main role,<ref name="cbcbof" /> also executive producer |
| 2021 | Ghostwriter | Sarah Weaver | Guest role (season 2)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2022 | Reacher | Charlene "Charlie" Hubble | 4 episodes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2024 | Murder in a Small Town | Cassandra | Main role<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | EuroTrip | Fiona | |
| 2006 | Dream Princess | Princess | Short film |
| 2007 | Partition | Naseem Khan | |
| 2009 | Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li | Chun-Li | |
| 2011 | Vampire | Maria Lucas | |
| Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy | Heather Thompson | ||
| 2012 | Space Milkshake | Tilda | also executive producer |
| 2017 | The Emissary | The Emissary | Short film |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Shuyan Saga | Shuyan | voice role |
| 2020 | Watch Dogs: Legion | Kaitlin Lau | Voice and performance capture |
Producer
[edit]| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Blink | Short film; also executive producer |
| TBA | Phoolan | Documentary film; post-production, also executive producer |
Awards and nominations
[edit]In 2015, Kreuk was ranked as Canada's most beautiful person in an online poll organized by ET Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Pages with broken file links
- 1982 births
- Living people
- Actresses from Vancouver
- Canadian actresses of Chinese descent
- Canadian film actresses
- Canadian people of Dutch descent
- Canadian people of Indonesian descent
- Canadian people of Jamaican descent
- Canadian soap opera actresses
- Canadian television actresses
- NXIVM people
- 21st-century Canadian actresses