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Chris Tucker is glad that the creative team behind The Fifth Element didn’t listen to his ideas for his character. Directed by Luc Besson and starring Bruce Willis, The Fifth Element is a science-fiction cult classic film. Willis plays a taxicab driver and former special forces major named Korben Dallas. A mysterious woman (played by Milla Jovovich) falls into his cab, and unbeknownst to Dallas, she is the key to saving the Earth. Tucker’s character plays the flamboyant and popular talk-show host Ruby Rhod who ends up helping these characters in their heroic quest.
In a recent interview with GQ, Tucker shares why he is glad that Besson and the other filmmakers didn’t listen to his ideas on how to bring Rhod to life:
Tucker explains that while he was hesitant about the way he was supposed to play Rhod, he’s glad he followed the direction he was given. Rhod wouldn’t have worked as well in the story and wouldn’t have ended up being one of Tucker’s all-time favorite characters if he played the character the way he originally wanted. Check out Tucker’s comments below:
“If I would’ve found out what I was wearing, I probably would’ve said, ‘Nah, nah, nah.’ But I’m so glad I didn’t because it’s one of my favorite roles. I definitely did some different type of all, you know–tell ’em to try to make this that way. But they were speaking French and they kind of gave me the 52 fakes. They did what they wanted to do. But I’m glad they did because that’s what Luc Besson wanted and that was what the character was. And it made me go into the character more if I would’ve did it my way, so I’m glad they didn’t listen to me.”
The Behind-The-Scenes Journey & Legacy Of Ruby Rhod
Tucker is famous for playing Rhod, but one of the many interesting facts about The Fifth Element is that a different celebrity was originally going to play the character. Besson initially had the musician Prince in mind to play Rhod. A scheduling conflict due to Prince’s tour schedule prevented him from taking the role, and it ultimately went to Tucker instead.
As arguably the most memorable character in The Fifth Element, Rhod has a complex legacy. Tucker’s flamboyant and ostentatious performance feels like an outdated and offensive stereotype on many levels, made only worse by Rhod screeching in terror and hiding behind Dallas during many of the action scenes. Yet, there is something to be said about the unapologetically confident and queer representation that Rhod brings to the story.
Decades later, many science-fiction films still avoid featuring characters who are as seemingly queer and openly comfortable with their identity as Rhod is in The Fifth Element. It is also telling that in the movie’s futuristic society, Rhod is one of the most popular celebrities out there, an indicator that this future society is more accepting and inclusive. Debates surrounding Rhod’s character is one of the many elements that continue to make The Fifth Element a cult classic.
Source: GQ
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