Kristin Kreuk

Kristin Kreuk Headshot

Actress

Birth Name: Kristin Laura Kreuk

Birth Date: December 30, 1982

Age: 41 years old

Birth Place: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Canadian actress Kristin Kreuk rose from relative obscurity to capture the attention of teenage fans, particularly of the male variety, as Superman's first girlfriend Lana Lang on the popular action-drama "Smallville" (The WB, 2001-2011). Prior to her turn on the series, Kreuk had limited screen exposure, save for a regular role on a Canadian drama, but "Smallville" vaulted her to the epicenter of young American viewership. Her feisty but vulnerable performance as Lana certainly helped to make her popular with that demographic, and she remained with the series for most of its network run before departing during its eighth season to try her hand at other roles.

Kreuk met with sporadic success in such ventures as "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" (2009) prior to finding her next opportunity as a series star on the oft-adapted "Beauty and the Beast" (CW, 2012-16), which infused the supernatural romance with elements of a police procedural. A fan favorite on the teen-oriented CW network and an ongoing spokesperson deal with Neutrogena served as assurance that Kreuk would remain on the forefront of young Hollywood talent for some time to come.

Born Dec. 30, 1982 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Kristin Lauren Kreuk was the eldest of two daughters born to landscape architects, Peter Kreuk and Deanna Che. Drama was always an interest of Kreuk's throughout her school years, but it was gymnastics that truly captured her attention. She trained in the sport at the national level until the 11th grade, when a bout of scoliosis forced her to give it up. In her senior year of high school, she made up her mind to study science or psychology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, but a chance encounter with a casting director for the Canadian Broadcasting Company changed her outlook forever.

The director was looking for an Asian actress for a new teen-oriented drama, and Kreuk's half-Chinese background made her ideal for the part. Her drama teacher encouraged her to try out, and much to everyone's surprise, she landed the part of Laurel, a high schooler whose romantic entanglements with another student formed much of the backbone of "Edgemont" (CBC, 2001-05). Kreuk remained with the series throughout its network run, which enjoyed modest success in its native country, as well as in the United States.

While filming the first season of "Edgemont," Kreuk found an agent, which helped her to land the title role in "Snow White: The Fairest of Them All" (Hallmark Channel, 2001), a darker, edgier take on the classic fairy tale that won some critical acclaim after its airing. The agent also submitted her for a new American series titled "Smallville," which would place the Superman story in a modern, teen-friendly environment. The producers were looking for an actress to play Lana Lang, the small town girl who captured Superman's heart prior to big city reporter Lois Lane. Kreuk was cast, and soon found herself immersed in the DC Comics' character's history as she doubled her starring duties on the new series and "Edgemont" at the same time.

Initially, Kreuk was skeptical about the role, which came across as shallow; the TV Lana, however, was substantially different from the character portrayed in the comics. Though popular and attractive, the show's Lana was also deeply lonely from the loss of her parents, and buried her feelings in a shallow relationship with the school quarterback. As viewers followed the series, Lana turned away from her early beau to explore her feelings with Clark Kent (Tom Welling), but the struggle to maintain his secret powers forced a wedge between them that would eventually drive her into the arms of his rival, Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum), whom she eventually marries.

But Luthor's machinations spoiled that relationship as well, which forced her to leave her hometown for Paris in order to do some soul-searching at the end of the show's seventh season. Lana's departure also signaled the end of Kreuk's participation in the series, but she returned the following season for a multi-story arc that saw Lana seek revenge on Luthor by stealing a super-suit that harnessed alien DNA in order to imbue the wearer with prodigious powers. The suit makes Lana as powerful as Superman, but at a price, as it emits kryptonite. To save Superman, Lana is forced to leave Smallville yet again.

For her efforts as Lana Lang, Kreuk received numerous critical accolades, as well as multiple nominations from both the Saturn Awards and Teen Choice Awards. The role also served as her springboard into motion pictures, which was launched with a bit part as the cold-hearted girlfriend who dumps Scott Mechlowitz's schlubby hero and inspires him to take part in a raunchy "Eurotrip" (2004). That same year, she returned to TV to play Ursula K. LeGuin's heroine Tenar in "Legend of Earthsea" (Sci Fi Channel), a miniseries based on the famed fantasy novels. She also joined Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mandy Moore and Julie Bowen as a spokesperson for Neutrogena in television commercials and print advertising; eventually becoming its longest-running spokesperson.

Due to her "Smallville" commitment through she was only seen in the fantasy short "Dream Princess" (2006) and the period drama "Partition" (2007), a Canadian-U.K.-South African co-production about the romance between a young Indian girl (Kreuk) and a British officer (Jimi Mistry) during the Partition of India in 1947, which created the states of India and Pakistan. She returned to features as an energetic lead in "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" (2009), which was based on the popular video game series. The film, however, expired after only a short run in theaters. In addition to her acting career, Kreuk was the co-creator of "Girls by Design," a social website for girls, designed to foster creativity and self-awareness.

Kreuk found temporary work on another genre series with a recurring role as a computer expert during the third season of the spy comedy "Chuck" (NBC, 2007-2012) and was seen as Tirzah, the sister of "Ben Hur" (ABC, 2010), in the Canadian-produced miniseries that same year. She was seen briefly on the festival circuit with a minor role in Japanese filmmaker Iwai Shunji's first English language movie, "Vampire" (2011), a non-supernatural tale of a lonely man (Kevin Zegers) who drinks the blood of his already suicidal victims. Loosely based on the 1987 cult favorite series of the same name, "Beauty and the Beast" (The CW, 2012-16) returned Kreuk to regular series TV as Catherine Chandler, a police detective investigating the connection between the unsolved murder of her mother and the mystery behind a bestial figure (Jay Ryan) who rescued her all those years ago.

Credits

Murder in a Small TownStream

Actor
Cassandra Lee
Series
2024
70%

Access Daily With Mario & Kit

Guest
Show
2022

ReacherStream

Actor
Charlie Hubble
Series
2022
95%

Burden of TruthStream

Actor
Joanna Hanley
Series
2018

Burden of TruthStream

Executive Producer
Series
2018

CBC Arts: Exhibitionists

Guest
Show
2017

Canada Reads 2015

Judge
Show
2015

q

Guest
Show
2014

Space Milkshake

Actor
Tilda
Movie
2013

Beauty and the BeastStream

Actor
Catherine
Series
2012
51%

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy

Actor
Heather Thompson
Movie
2011

Vampire

Actor
Maria Lucas
Movie
2011

George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight

Guest
Show
2010

Ben Hur

Actor
Tirzah
Show
2010

Ben Hur

Actor
Tirzah
Movie
2010

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-LiStream

Actor
Chun-Li
Movie
2009
3%

ChuckStream

Guest Star
Series
2007
90%

Partition

Actor
Naseem Khan
Movie
2007

Robot ChickenStream

Guest Voice
Series
2005

EarthseaStream

Actor
Miniseries
2004

SmallvilleStream

Actor
Lana Lang
Series
2001
78%

SmallvilleStream

Guest Star
Lana Lang
Series
2001
78%

EdgemontStream

Actor
Series
2001

Snow White: The Fairest of Them All

Actor
Snow White
Movie
2001

The Weekenders

Guest Voice
Gina
Show
2000

News aboutKristin Kreuk

Kristin Kreuk and guest star Erica Durance in the “Prized Possessions” episode of Murder in a Small Town
Exclusive

‘Murder in a Small Town’ Clip Reveals a ‘Smallville’ Reunion (VIDEO)

Rossif Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk in Murder in a Small Town
Premiere

‘Murder in a Small Town’: Rossif Sutherland & Kristin Kreuk Talk Filming Awkward First Date and Characters’ Moral Compasses

'Murder in a Small Town'
Exclusive

‘Murder in a Small Town’ First Look: Detectives & Dead Bodies Everywhere (VIDEO)

John Glover, Erica Durance, Kristin Kreuk, and Tom Welling attend at the Smallville Cast Reunion during New York Comic Con 2022
Comic-Con

Tom Welling & ‘Smallville’ Cast Reunite & Look Back at NYCC 2022 Panel

Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, and Michael Rosenbaum of Smaillville
Q&A

Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk & Michael Rosenbaum Look Back on ‘Smallville’ 20 Years Later (VIDEO)

Sarah Michelle Gellar Gabrielle Union Rupert Grint

10 Broadcast TV Pilots We Still Wish We Could Have Watched

Allison Mack NXIVM

What to Know About ‘The Vow,’ NXIVM and Allison Mack’s Trial

Burden of Truth - Peter Mooney as Billy Crawford and Kristin Kreuk as Joanna Chang

Joanna & Billy Are Finally a Couple in ‘Burden of Truth’ Season 3 (PHOTOS)

SMALLVILLE gallery cover

‘Smallville’ Stars Now: From Critical Acclaim to Legal Woes (PHOTOS)

burden-of-truth
Exclusive

‘Burden of Truth’ Sneak Peek: Tragedy Hits Close to Home for Joanna (VIDEO)

BoT2_Blk1_D7_Eps1_ST_00214

‘Burden of Truth’ Season 2: The CW’s Legal Drama Is Back for the Summer (PHOTOS)

Salesmen, Cheats and Liars
Exclusive

‘Burden of Truth’ Season 2 Premiere: Joanna’s Life Is in Danger (VIDEO)

Burden of Truth - Kristin Kreuk
Preview

‘Burden of Truth’ Premiere: Kristin Kreuk Admits Her Character Isn’t the ‘Kindest’

Kristin Kreuk attends International Emmy Awards Red Carpet in 2017

Kristin Kreuk Lawyers Up for The CW’s Newly-Acquired ‘Burden of Truth’

Kristin Kreuk attends The CW Network's New York 2015 Upfront Presentation

‘Smallville’ Star Kristin Kreuk Once Involved in Allison Mack’s Alleged Cult