When Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element exploded onto screens in 1997, it wasn’t just another sci-fi flick. It was a neon-drenched fever dream that shattered every rule in the book—and then wrote a few new ones of its own. Flying taxis, alien opera divas, and costumes that would make Lady Gaga blush: The Fifth Element was, and still is, a wild ride through a future that feels as much like a nightclub as a battlefield.

But behind the dazzling spectacle, the film’s real story is even stranger—and more human—than what we saw on screen. Now, nearly three decades later, star Milla Jovovich and director Luc Besson are finally revealing the untold secrets behind the making of this cult classic.

Born in Isolation, Raised in Imagination

Luc Besson’s journey to creating The Fifth Element didn’t begin in Hollywood, but in the quiet countryside of France. Born to scuba-diving parents, young Besson grew up far from city lights and television, forced to invent his own entertainment. By age 16, he had already drafted the first version of what would become The Fifth Element: a sprawling, handwritten epic that spanned over 400 pages and imagined a universe where ancient aliens guarded the secrets to life itself.

Besson always saw his story as more than a simple space opera. It was a mythology, complete with rival civilizations, spiritual artifacts, and a cosmology built around the four classical elements—earth, air, fire, and water—plus a mysterious “fifth element” representing life. The vision was so ambitious that when Besson finally pitched it to studios after his successes with La Femme Nikita and Léon: The Professional, they balked at the scale. The result? Besson condensed his imagined trilogy into one unforgettable movie—a decision that may have been painful, but gave the world a singular masterpiece.

Casting Chaos: From Mel Gibson to Milla Jovovich

The film’s cast is legendary, but the choices behind it were anything but straightforward. Bruce Willis, who brought his signature blend of humor and grit to the role of Korben Dallas, wasn’t Besson’s first pick. That honor went to Mel Gibson, fresh off Braveheart, who ultimately turned down the role due to the script’s wild tone. Willis stepped in, and the rest is history.

Gary Oldman, Besson’s old collaborator from Léon, played the villain Zorg with such flamboyance that even he admits he didn’t fully understand the character. “A bit of a blur,” Oldman would later say. But it’s Milla Jovovich who truly defined the film. Chosen from over 8,000 hopefuls, the then-21-year-old Ukrainian-born actress brought an “otherworldly aura” to Leeloo, the Supreme Being. Jovovich trained for months, learning a fictional language of 400 words and performing her own stunts—transforming Leeloo into a symbol of innocence, vulnerability, and cosmic strength.

Love, Betrayal, and a Secret Language

If the movie’s love story felt real, that’s because it was. During filming, Besson’s marriage to French actress Maïwenn (who played the blue-skinned opera diva) ended as he fell for his leading lady, Jovovich. Their relationship became the talk of the set, and the two married shortly after the film’s Cannes premiere in 1997. The marriage lasted only two years, but their collaboration left an indelible mark on the film.

Besson and Jovovich even used Leeloo’s fictional language to communicate privately, both on and off set—a detail that helped Jovovich bring authenticity to Leeloo’s sense of isolation and wonder. As she later shared, this linguistic intimacy helped her channel the character’s alien innocence.

Physical Demands and Real Danger

The Fifth Element was committed to practical effects at a time when Hollywood was going digital. The massive Mondoshawan alien suits weighed 80 pounds each, leaving actors drenched in sweat and on the verge of collapse. Chris Tucker’s outrageous Ruby Rhod costumes, designed by fashion icon Jean Paul Gaultier, were so restrictive that he often had to lie down between takes.

And the iconic ZF-One weapon? Its flamethrower was real—so real, in fact, that a misfire nearly set the set ablaze during filming at Pinewood Studios. The production’s insistence on practical effects meant that many scenes, including the destruction of the Diva’s concert hall, were achieved in a single take with real explosions and debris. The result: action sequences that feel as chaotic and immediate as they look.

Fashion as World-Building

Gaultier’s costumes didn’t just dress the characters; they defined the world. From the militarized, angular uniforms of the police to the decadent silks of Fhloston Paradise, every outfit told a story. Leeloo’s iconic bandage suit became a symbol of rebirth and vulnerability, while Ruby Rhod’s leopard-print jumpsuit remains one of sci-fi’s most unforgettable looks.

Gaultier and his team crafted over 1,000 unique costumes for the film, each hand-fitted—a level of detail that set The Fifth Element apart from its CGI-heavy contemporaries.

The “Multipass” Phenomenon

Of all the film’s enduring moments, none is more beloved than Leeloo’s “Multipass” catchphrase. Delivered with wide-eyed sincerity, the line was a spontaneous creation, born from Jovovich’s playful approach to Leeloo’s alien English. The crew knew they had struck gold the moment they heard it, and fans have been quoting it ever since. “Multipass” has since become a staple at conventions, in video games, and across pop culture—a testament to the film’s lasting impact.

A Sci-Fi Classic That Refused to Play by the Rules

The Fifth Element continues to captivate audiences because it dares to be different. Besson’s decision to light the future in bright, saturated color—rather than the grim darkness of Blade Runner or Terminator—created a world that was vivid, flawed, and unmistakably human. The film’s emotional core, drawn from Besson’s own life, gives it a resonance that transcends its chaos and spectacle.

And perhaps most daring of all: Bruce Willis and Gary Oldman’s characters never meet on screen—a bold move that subverts the expected hero-villain showdown and leaves the film’s tension simmering in the background.

The Legacy Lives On

Nearly 30 years after its release, The Fifth Element remains a singular achievement in science fiction—a film as strange, beautiful, and unpredictable as the universe it imagined. With new revelations from its stars and creators, fans have even more reason to revisit this classic and discover the secrets hiding in plain sight.