This is how Milla Jovovich’s most daring costume in ‘The Fifth Element’ came to be: “I couldn’t be naked”
The famous actress reached an agreement with director Luc Besson for renowned fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier to create her iconic look.
‘The Fifth Element,’ the celebrated 1997 sci-fi film directed by Luc Besson and starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, and Milla Jovovich, became a turning point in the actress’s career. Known for her appearances in early ’90s films like ‘Return to the Blue Lagoon,’ ‘Chaplin,’ and ‘Dazed and Confused,’ portraying Leeloo in Besson’s film elevated her to iconic status. Following this role, Jovovich participated in commercially successful franchises like ‘Resident Evil.’ Her look in ‘The Fifth Element’ is now a part of pop culture. But how did it come about?
Jean-Paul Gaultier as Costume Designer
As Milla Jovovich recently revealed—she will soon star in ‘In the Lost Lands’ alongside Dave Bautista, directed by her filmmaker husband Paul W.S. Anderson—the unique “outfit” worn by Leeloo in a particular part of ‘The Fifth Element’ garnered significant attention. Comprised only of bandages, her look left little to the imagination, which was intentional within the context of the story.
In her own words, the actress explained her appearance as something conceptualized by scientists: “Luc and I were talking about Leeloo’s birth, and you know, I couldn’t be naked, obviously, because that’s weird,” Jovovich shared in a recent interview with GQ. She added, “I said, ‘Well, when you think about scientists doing experiments, they want as little on you as possible.’” Jovovich continued:
“You need space to put in injections and needles. So I said, ‘What if bandages came out of the machine that would just cover up the essentials, so it’s as little as possible but very utilitarian.’ Luc took that idea to [costume designer] Jean Paul Gaultier, who loved it and ran with it, and created one of the most iconic outfits in cinema history.”
Let’s not forget that Jean-Paul Gaultier, the celebrated French fashion designer, took charge of the wardrobe for ‘The Fifth Element,’ creating some of the film’s most distinctive elements. The result was a success both critically and commercially; the movie grossed over $260 million on a $90 million budget, and it catapulted Milla Jovovich to international fame.
‘The Fifth Element’ can be streamed at Apple TV+.
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