Kristin Kreuk's life story begins in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where she was born to Deanna Che, a woman of Chinese ancestry, and Peter Kreuk, a man of Dutch descent. Her parents, both landscape architects, instilled in her a strong foundation for a creative and imaginative upbringing. Kristin attended Eric Hamber Secondary School, where she honed her skills in stage work, although she primarily focused on her studies, describing herself as shy and unassuming.
Kristin's professional journey began with an open casting audition for the teen drama series Edgemont, which aired on CBC Television in Canada. She landed the role of Laurel Yeung, the last main character to be cast, much to the relief of the casting director and the audience alike.
However, it was her subsequent role in the highly acclaimed serial drama series Smallville, which premiered on The WB, that catapulted Kristin's career to new heights. The show, which follows the story of Clark Kent in his pre-Superman days in the small town of Smallville, Kansas, saw Kristin play the role of Lana Lang, Clark Kent's object of desire before he meets Lois Lane.