While Kristin Kreuk is most well-known for portraying Lana Lang on Smallville, she’s had quite a varied career since starting acting in 2000.
Kreuk began with teen dramas and classic fairytale films, then moved to sci-fi films and procedural dramas.
No matter the role, she’s a force to be reckoned with and lights up the screen.
Since she began acting nearly 25 years ago, Kreuk has gone from acting project to project with little break. She’s become one of Canada’s leading leading ladies and has earned that right in the United States, too.
Kreuk will be starring in Murder in a Small Town beginning Tuesday, September 24.
In honor of her new role, we thought it would be fun to discuss her best 11 movie and television roles.
Edgemont (2000-2005)
Role: Laurel. Available to stream on Prime Video and The Roku Channel.
Have you ever wondered what some of your favorites, like Dominic Zamprogna and Grace Park, looked like as teenagers? Check out this this Canadian teen series.
Edgemont was Canada’s premiere teen drama, and they packed many relationship issues into the weekly 30-minute series.
In many ways, it showcased the reality of being a teenager, from the fun and innocent times to the harsh dilemmas of bullying, teen pregnancy, or coming out of the closet.
Kreuk played Laurel, the hip and artistic new girl who had instant sparks with Mark (Dominic Zamprogna). The two struggled with an on-and-off relationship for many seasons.
After Edgemont’s first season, Kreuk began working on other projects, and at one point, she worked on Edgemont and Smallville simultaneously.
Watch Edgemont Online
Snow White: The Fairest of Them All (2001)
Role: Snow White. Available for purchase.
Snow White was my favorite fairytale when I was young, and Kristin Kreuk certainly fit the part.
She was ideal for the role, portraying 16-year-old Snow White as she fell in love with Prince Alfred and dealt with her stepmother, Queen Elspeth.
While the film initially aired in the United States on ABC as part of their The Wonderful of Disney series, it’s not based on the Disney version.
It’s adapted from the fantasy Brothers Grimm folktale and combines darker elements, slapstick comedy, and the important message of adapting to changes in life.
This film was delightful because the dwarves were named after the days of the week, and each had their own personalities. It was a wonderful beginning role for Kreuk.
Legend of Earthsea (2004)
Role: Tenar. Available to stream on Prime Video and The Roku Channel
Back in the early 2000s, Hallmark Entertainment worked with many companies. This time, they worked with the Sci-Fi Channel to produce a two-part miniseries that adapted the first two Earth Sea novels.
The story follows Ged (Shawn Ashmore), a reckless mage-in-training drawn to a young priestess, Tenar (Kreuk). They team up to battle ancient Demons called the Nameless ones.
Kreuk shined in, portraying a young priestess. She’s all alone, but she’s strong and has core beliefs. It was very much about her beliefs and faith,
While diehard fans criticized the miniseries, it earned seven Leo awards, largely due to its talented cast, including Kreuk and Shawn Ashmore. Interesting fact: Shawn Ashmore guest starred on Smallville, and his twin brother later starred in the series as Jimmy Olson.
Watch Legend of Earthsea Online
Space Milkshake (2012)
Role: Tilda. Available for Rent or Purchase
Have you ever been to the Sci-Fi Diner at Disney World? Space Milkshake is an old-school sci-fi comedy that’s goofy and fun.
It was a low-budget film filled with Canadian actors like Amanda Tapping, Billy Boyd, and Kristin Kreuk to entice viewers.
It was a delightful film as four sanitation workers are stranded on a space station and terrorized by a talking rubber duck voiced by George Takei.
Kreuk played Hilda, to whom Anton (Billy Boyd) was attracted. All the characters have been stranded on the ship and have been irritating each other for a while now. At first, she attempted to ignore Anton, but once she started talking more, her personality became alive.
Watch Space Milkshake Online
Reacher Season 1 (2022)
Role: Charlene Hubble. Available to stream on Prime Video.
Kreuk’s character, Charlene Hubble, played an essential role during Reacher Season 1. While she wasn’t a main character, Charlie’s husband, Paul, was in danger.
She was important in keeping her daughters safe and feeding Roscoe and Reacher information about Paul’s role in the Kliner organization.
While many fans would have preferred Kreuk to have a more action-packed story, seeing her play a loving wife and mom was also refreshing.
Watch Reacher Online
EuroTrip
Role: Fiona. Available for rent or purchase.
EuroTrip remains a cult classic. It’s such an entertaining comedy, and while Kreuk only had a minor part in the film, her role kicked off the plot.
Kreuk starred as Fiona, who broke up with Scotty (Scott Mechlowicz) at their high school graduation.
At a graduation party, Matt Damon made hilarious cameo appearance as Donny and sang a memorable number “Scotty Doesn’t Know,” outing his affair with Fiona, which devastated Scotty.
The rest of the film follows Scotty and his friends traveling to Europe, trying to heal his broken his heart, and trying to find a new girl, Mieke. It’s pure entertainment. If you want to revisit your high school years, check out one of these shows.
Watch Eurotrip Unrated Online
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009)
Role: Chun-Li. Available for rent or purchase
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li was adapted from the Street Fighter video game series.
As a child, Chun-Li saw her father captured by a wealthy crime boss, so she vowed to bring him to justice.
Kreuk often plays roles that specialize in bringing people to justice, but this is one of the few that focuses on her character’s culture and family.
The best part of the movie was watching Chin-Li (Kreuk) learn martial arts moves from Gen, as Robin Shou is a martial arts master.
Watch Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li Online
Beauty and the Beast (2012-2016)
Role: Catherine Chandler. Available to stream on The CW App.
Playing Catherine Chandler in The CW’s Beauty and the Beast cemented Kreuk’s place among her adult roles.
She excelled at wanting justice for her mother’s death, and it was the first of many roles where she worked in law enforcement.
From working on Smallville, Kreuk was used to stories with her leading men having secret identities and it was a classic twist that Vincent saved Catherine all those years ago, and they’d reunite again as adults.
Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite fairytales, so I loved seeing this version. Kreuk and Ryan exhibited such an angsty and romantic connection throughout the series that made you root for them.
Watch Beauty and The Beast Online
Burden of Truth (2018-2021)
Role: Joanna Chang. Available to stream on Hulu and Disney +
Burden of Truth was a different type of procedural, covering small-town issues like discrimination against the Indigenous folks.
Kreuk portrayed Joanna Chang, and excelled at playing a lawyer who fought for her clients. She was often conflicted because of her family history, which haunted her in later seasons.
Joanna was determined not to be like her parents, but that vow sometimes affected her professionally and personally.
The series worked because it covered a different arc each season, which often included some of Joanna’s family secrets. Utilizing her rich character history kept viewers interested, though many wished the series would’ve focused more on Joanna and Billy’s romantic relationship.
Watch Burden of Truth Online
Smallville (2001-2011)
Role: Lana Lang. Available to stream on Hulu and Disney +
Kristin Kreuk was Lana Lang. It’s the role she’s most well-known for.
It didn’t matter if you shipped her with Clark or Lex; it was her role, and she owned it from the minute she started on Smallville. She was the typical girl next door and a loyal best friend.
As the years passed, Lana grew wiser, and Kreuk’s performances became more layered as she grew wary of Clark or Lex at different times.
She had wonderful chemistry with both of her leading men, which was a rare treat.
Watch Smallville Online
Murder In A Small Town (2024)
Role: Cassandra Mitchell. Premieres September 24 on FOX
Kreuk is back with a new television series, Murder in a Small Town, and her character is so much fun.
She plays Cassandra Mitchell, the local librarian. She’s fiercely independent and recently connected with the new police chief, Karl Alberg.
They have a fun instant connection but don’t always agree on how he solves his cases.
They both have a history with the coastal town as crimes keep popping up, so put this murder mystery show on your radar.
Which Kristin Kreuk movie or show was your favorite? Did we miss any of your favorites?
We love hearing from you, so let us know in the comments.
