In 1997, visionary director Luc Besson unleashed his sci-fi opus The Fifth Element on the world. It was a daunting project and the most expensive European film ever made at the time of its release, costing approximately $90 million. Much like the rest of Besson's work, however, it polarized both critics and fans.

Chatting to Deadline, Besson admitted that he never thought the film would be so divisive. "The response in the U.S. was, at the time, very deceptive for me. The film was probably [too ahead of its time]. The film did $70 million [at the] box office. We opened at number one, but I went to a couple of cities in the middle of America where I saw people leaving in the middle of the screening, saying, 'What the f**k is this thing?'"

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Over time, though, the film garnered cult classic status and is now deservedly remembered as a crucial piece of sci-fi cinema history. Naturally, a lot happened behind the scenes to make this project come to fruition and most people only know half the story of how The Fifth Element came to be.

Updated on May 2nd, 2022 by Amanda Bruce: In 2022, The Fifth Element turned 25 years old. The movie wasn't expected by critics to be a hit, but today, it has become one of the most fascinating and beloved science fiction movies of the last 50 years.

Over the last few years, The Fifth Element's cast and creative team members have revealed a lot of behind-the-scenes information from the set that fans might not have known, and some of that information might make fans wonder how the movie made it to cinemas at all. It seems like the odds were really against it.

Milla Jovovich Didn't Initially Get The Role

Leeloo holding her synthesized chicken with joy in The Fifth Element

When Milla Jovovich first auditioned for The Fifth Element, she had a handful of roles under her belt from childhood, but she was primarily known for her work in the modeling world. As a result, she approached her audition much like she would a modeling job, wearing a flashier outfit and plenty of makeup, which, according to Entertainment Weekly's Oral History of the movie, didn't go over well with Luc Besson.

Besson told the publication she was, "overdressed and over made-up and very, very, nervous." He passed on her for the role, but after seeing hundreds of other actresses, ran into her at a hotel pool where she wasn't wearing makeup a few weeks later, and reconsidered.

Besson had Jovovich audition again, which according to the actress included, "dancing with no rhythm, singing, speaking in gibberish. I didn't understand any of it, but I was game." She got the part as a result.

An Important Scene Was Almost Lost In An Accident

The diva performs her aria in The Fifth Element

In the early '90s, movies weren't being shot digitally. Instead, they were filmed on actual film that had to be physically transferred for editing. Associate Producer John Amicarella will likely never forget that because he was called out to LAX and presented with trash cans full of damaged film while working on The Fifth Element.

The case carrying film from the time spent shooting the diva's operatic number had fallen in transport to the plane and run over by a forklift. Amicarella recounted the incident to EW, explaining they had enough usable footage to cut the scene together, but the same thing never happened to him while working on dozens of other movies.

Milla Jovovich Babysat For Bruce Willis

Leeloo and Korben Dallas with the Fifth Element multipass.

Jovovich was one of the youngest Fifth Element cast members while on set. As a result, she didn't spend a lot of time hanging out with the older cast members. Other than Besson, she didn't become particularly close with others on set. Bruce Willis, who was married to Demi Moore at the time, had his wife and kids visiting on set quite a bit though.

Jovovich actually used to babysit for Willis and Moore in between filming so the two could go out. She joked during the EW retrospective that she was so young on set that she, "probably had more fun with his kids at the time."

It Ruined Luc Besson's Marriage

Bruce Willis and Luc Besson on the Set of The Fifth Element

Besson cast his then-wife, Maïwenn Le Besco, as Diva Plavalaguna after the original actress dropped out of the production. Le Besco really did him a solid there because it would've been a chore to find another actress in such a short time as the movie was already heading into production.

During the shoot, however, Besson and star Mila Jovovich grew closer and began dating. Besson and Le Besco divorced, and Besson and Jovovich married in 1997. The duo divorced two years later.

Bruce Willis Took A Reduced Salary

Korben Dallas looking confused in The Fifth Element

While Bruce Willis wasn't the first choice for Korben Dallas, he ended up being the perfect choice at the end of the day. Still, if it wasn't for Willis taking less than he normally charges, the audience might have seen someone else in the leading role.

Besson thought he'd have to settle for a cheaper leading man, but in a conversation with Willis, the actor told him that if he liked the script, they'd figure something out. Two hours later, Willis said he was in, revealing that sometimes he just does movies because they're fun.

Ultimately, Willis took a reduced salary upfront and a percentage of the film's profits. Considering The Fifth Element made over $263 million at the global box office, the actor's gamble paid off rather handsomely for him.

Prince Was Meant To Star In The Movie

A closeup of the musician Prince

Before Chris Tucker took the role of Ruby Rhod, Luc Besson had someone else in mind for the part: the late Prince. After Prince passed away in 2016, Besson tweeted a tribute including a sketch of Prince as Ruby done by Jean-Paul Gaultier and revealed that scheduling conflicts prevented the musician from taking the role.

According to Gaultier, though, Prince turned down the role because it seemed "too effeminate." Additionally, there was a bit a language mix-up as the musician misconstrued Gaultier's "faux cul" for something far more crude.

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"I could see that something had just happened, but I didn't know what, only that he had indicated to his bodyguard that he wanted to leave right then and there," Gaultier said. "Later, Luc told me that Prince had been very surprised and amused by my presentation."

The Hall Explosion Was The Largest Indoor Explosion Ever Filmed At The Time

Korben Dallas with his hands up in wreckage in The Fifth Element

The Fifth Element was a film of many firsts. Not only did it break financial records at the time, but it also achieved numerous cinematic milestones. One of the major ones involved an action scene that could've gone terribly wrong.

There's a moment in the film where an explosion engulfs the Fhloston main hall in flames. While this might seem relatively trivial in a sci-fi action affair, it's important here because it was the largest indoor explosion ever filmed at the time. No CGI – it was all real.

Besson Wrote The Original Story In High School

Milla Jovovich in The Fifth Element

While most projects get fast-tracked rather quickly, The Fifth Element was a long time in the making. As Luc Besson told Nerdist, he started to write the story when he was 16 years old and then shot it much later in his life.

"When I started to write at 16 it was more like a novel," he said. "It was not a film in my head. I never thought about making a film of it. So, it was a novel for a long time and then, at a certain point, 10 years later, I said, 'You know what? I would love to make a film of that.' But I started changing a lot of things because a novel is really different."

Gary Oldman Hates It

Gary Oldman as Zorg in The Fifth Element

Gary Oldman's role as Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg is one of the most fondly remembered performances from the movie, largely because it's Gary Oldman. That said, the actor isn't a big fan of the movie.

Chatting about why he took the role in a video interview, Oldman was blunt about the situation: "I'd directed a film and Luc Besson was one of the producers and had initially helped me with raising financing, and I was singing for my supper. He called, said 'I need you to do a movie.' I didn't read the script. It was a favor."

When it was pointed out to him that it's become a cult classic, he responded, "I know! That's the wacky world we live in."

In another interview with Playboy, Oldman was less complimentary, saying, "Oh no, I can't bear it."

Mel Gibson Was Asked To Be Korben Dallas

A closeup of actor Mel Gibson

It's difficult to imagine anyone else but Bruce Willis in the role of Korben Dallas, but he wasn't Luc Besson's first choice. In fact, the director's initial pick was a famous action star from down under.

In a Reddit AMA promoting Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Besson opened up about the actor whom he originally had in mind: "I had asked Mel Gibson first because he had his office next to mine at Warner Brothers. He peeked into my office every morning to tell me that he was thinking about it. After three months, he passed. But we became friends. Bruce was the only other choice I had in my mind."

Jean-Paul Gaultier Designed The Costumes

A black and white portrait of Jean-Paul Gaultier

For a futuristic sci-fi movie, it's necessary to get the costumes right. It needs to look revolutionary and extravagant and not like something out of The Jetsons. Luc Besson recognized the need for this and sought out the services of the one and only Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Gaultier had been a fan of Besson's earlier works, telling Vogue, "[Luc] is very hands-on with excellent taste for sets and costumes. I love the collaborations in the movies or dance as they are a bit of fresh air for me. I try to do Gaultier, but in the service of the story and the director." Reportedly, Gaultier's attention to detail was so delicate and precise that he checked every single costume that five hundred extras wore in one scene.

The Divine Language Is A Fictional Language Of 400 Words

Leelo pointing at something off screen with Jean-Baptise

According to the film, the Divine Language is one of the earliest languages devised in the galaxy. It consisted of at least 400 words and Leeloo was able to speak it from inception, suggesting it's hardwired in her DNA.

In the real world, though, this language doesn't exist and was designed by Luc Besson with assistance from Milla Jovovich. The actress, who was already fluent in four languages at the time, was able to give her input and pick it up in no time.

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Reportedly, Jovovich and Besson would write each other letters and attempt to converse in this new language while filming the movie. By the end of the production, they were able to hold an entire conversation in this fictional language.

Besson Enlisted French Comic Book Artists To Design His Universe

Leeloo on the ledge of a building in The Fifth Element

Luc Besson is a huge fan of comic books. In fact, it was his work on The Fifth Element that opened the doors for him to work on Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets years later.

For production design duties on The Fifth Element, Besson recruited French comic book artists Jean "Moebius" Giraud and Jean-Claude Mézières, since it was their comics that had inspired the director. It's fair to say that it was a stroke of genius as the film's universe dazzled the audience.

Interestingly enough, Mézières was a co-creator of Valerian and Laureline and even asked Besson, "Why are you doing this s***** movie? Why you don't do Valerian?" While the director initially thought it impossible, he eventually found a way and made the movie.

Elizabeth Berkley Auditioned For The Part Of Leeloo

Elizabeth Berkley putting on lipstick in front of a mirror for Showgirls

The role of Leeloo was a coveted one at the time, with reportedly 200-300 actresses auditioning for the part. Finally, Besson settled on Milla Jovovich because he believed she possessed a look that could be from the past or the future, and he liked that about her.

One of the other actresses who auditioned for the role was Elizabeth Berkley. According to an interview with Movieline, she claimed to have come close to snagging the role, too. "I got very close to getting cast on The Fifth Element, and Luc Besson couldn't have been more supportive."

Unfortunately, Berkley couldn't quite shake off the bad press from Showgirls and many studios were reluctant to cast her. To her credit, she said she's grateful to the directors who still met with her after that film.

Ruby Rhod Was Originally Meant To Be Loc Rhod

Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod in The Fifth Element

Chris Tucker's Ruby Rhod was one of the standout characters of the movie – mostly because of Tucker's performance and ability to turn any Fifth Element line into comedy gold.

In a Reddit AMA, Tucker revealed that Bruce Willis gave him a serious case of the nerves. "Bruce Willis came up to me on the first day of shooting, looked at my outfit and said, 'Do you know this could ruin your career?' Then Luc Besson yelled action before I had a chance to quit, and I'm so glad he did," he said.

However, Ruby almost had a different name. The character's name was originally Loc Rhod, and the name actually appears in the original script and novelization. Even so, it appears as if it was only a name change and not a whole new characterization.

Milla Jovovich Ended Up Wearing A Wig

Milla Jovovich as Leeloo in The Fifth Element

Hollywood is all about magic. At times, actors don't even have a strand of hair in real life but have luscious locks on the big screen. While making the movie it was decided to dye Jovovich's hair from her natural brown color to orange. As anyone with dark hair who has dyed it to a lighter color can attest to, this requires a lot of maintenance due to the fading of color and showing of roots.

Jovovich underwent regular dye treatments but her hair became too damaged and broken so it was decided to get her a wig instead.

An Artificial Leg Was Used For Leeloo's High Kicks

Milla Jovovich as Leeloo in The Fifth Element

CGI has been around for some time now, and even The Fifth Element made use of it. It was used for creating things that were too difficult to replicate. That said, the movie still employed many practical effects to add to the realism – namely an artificial leg.

When an actor is signed on to a movie, it's likely that they won't be able to do every physical aspect of a performance, especially in action-heavy films. In Milla Jovovich's case, she just couldn't nail the perfect high kick – no matter how many hours of martial arts she put in to get it right.

Through clever editing and an artificial leg, the filmmakers were able to fool the audience into thinking Jovovich had actually executed the move.

The Composer Wrote An Impossible Musical Piece

Diva Plavalaguna in The Fifth Element

Much like the movie's tone, the music was grandiose with French composer Éric Serra responsible for the lavish score. However, even his compositions proved to be a bit too ambitious for Albanian soprano Inva Mula, who provided the singing voice for Diva Plavalaguna in the film.

When Serra showed Mula the sheet music for the "Diva Dance", she reportedly smiled and told him that some of the notes written weren't humanly possible since the human voice can't change notes that fast.

In order to make his piece of music come to life, though, she performed the notes in isolation and it was pieced together digitally later on. In fact, there are a few instances where the audience can hear the spikes in the Diva's vocal tones in the film.

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