Diane Kruger’s new role in “Swimming With Sharks” had her looking back at her own career.
In the new series, Kruger plays an ambitious movie executive who sometimes takes things too far. The part made her think of how professional behaviour has changed over the course of her career.
“I’ve definitely come across the Weinsteins of this world from the get go,” she told Variety at their SXSW Studio.
While she wouldn’t name the executive, she remembered being treated like a piece of “meat.”
“I remember testing for ‘Troy’ and having to go to the studio head in costume. And I felt like meat, being looked up and down and was asked, ‘Why do you think you should be playing this?’” she said. According to the outlet, it is uncommon to have stars dress up for a studio interview.
She added, “I’ve been put in situations that were so inappropriate and so uncomfortable. I think when I first started out, it just felt like, this is what it’s like. This is what Hollywood is like. Also, I come from modelling and believe me, they have their moments.”
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There is one scene in “Swimming With Sharks” in which her boss, played by Donald Sutherland, makes her perform a sexual act on his nurse.
“Shooting that scene was just a reminder of how disgusting and acceptable bad behaviour was at a certain time in our society, not just Hollywood,“ Diane said. “What really drew me to this part is that it is the Hollywood of 2022. So women have careers, they put their families or their desires on the back burner. What does that mean once you are in a position of power? How do you complete your life? The vulnerability of this character, combined with this excessive abusive of power, was really intriguing to me.”
“Swimming With Sharks” is on Roku on April 15.
