Milla Jovovich has reflected on her most memorable roles in the latest episode of GQ’s Iconic Characters series, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from The Fifth Element, Resident Evil, and more. Among the films she discussed was The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, a project she believes was affected by her divorce from director Luc Besson.
A Personal and Professional Battle in The Messenger
Playing Joan of Arc was one of the most challenging experiences of Jovovich’s career, both physically and emotionally. But… “When I saw the finished product, I felt like he was mad at me,” she said, explaining that their divorce seemed to affect his approach to the final cut. “I felt bad about that because I felt like that was one of the greatest performances I had ever given in my career.”
She had envisioned a version of Joan that had greater emotional range, but the final film kept her performance and the character in a state of near-constant intensity. “It felt like, because of the emotional involvement, the edit ended up being like 100 the whole way. I didn’t want Joan to be so unhinged.”
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Jovovich also recalled how deeply she immersed herself in the role, fully committing to the physical demands of playing the historical figure. “I got to wear armour and slog through the mud and gave myself a crazy haircut and was in the middle of war.” The experience left a lasting impact, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the film had missed its full potential. “I wish that things had been different with that movie because it had everything in it to be a classic, and it just didn’t hit that mark.”
The film didn’t perform well with critics (31% on Rotten Tomatoes) and was a box office failure, earning a bit under $US70 million from a production budget of $US85 million.
Despite her mixed feelings about the film’s execution, she still sees the role as one of the most significant in her career. “That’s what is extraordinary to me about acting… to experience things, to go on adventures, to go into these fantastical worlds.”
From Sci-Fi Icon to Action Star
Before The Messenger, Jovovich had already made waves in Hollywood as Leeloo in The Fifth Element, though she almost didn’t get the role. After an initial audition in full hair and makeup, she heard nothing for months—until a chance meeting at the Chateau Marmont hotel changed everything. After a night of partying, “my hair was a mess, no makeup and I’m having breakfast” – and Besson spotted her. “He saw me, and suddenly in his head, he saw Leeloo.”
She was also directly involved in shaping Leeloo’s look, providing the idea for the now-iconic bandage costume. “What if bandages came out of the machine?” she suggested. “They just cover up the essentials.” Designer Jean Paul Gaultier loved the idea, creating one of the most recognisable costumes in sci-fi film history.
Jovovich later stepped into the world of action films with Resident Evil, a role that not only launched a six-film franchise but also led to her marriage with director Paul W.S. Anderson – who would go on to direct her in a number of films. “At that point, I was like, ‘Hey, I’m The Fifth Element—like, you really gonna ask me to read for this?’” she recalled of her audition.
Once cast, she embraced the film’s physical demands, insisting on doing most of her own stunts. “I ran down a 60-foot wall, like straight down, and the only thing that’s coming to meet me is concrete.” The experience was terrifying but exhilarating. “I did almost everything in every movie I did. I loved doing stunts. It was a passion of mine.”
Continuing to Explore Worlds
Jovovich’s latest film is In the Lost Lands, a fantasy film based on a short story by George R.R. Martin. In it, she plays Grey Alys, a mysterious sorceress who is hired to retrieve a powerful ability from a mythical land. She revealed that her character’s tattoos included a hidden detail—runic inscriptions that spell out the names of crew members.
Jovovich has long embraced transformation in her career, taking on roles that push her physically and creatively. Reflecting on her time in the industry, she spoke about how acting has allowed her to step into extraordinary worlds. “It’s definitely made me who I am. […] I’ve seen things that people would never normally see and been a part of things that people would never normally, in our day and age, be a part of.”
