The Fifth Element: where are the actors and actresses now?

The action, science fiction, and cyberpunk aesthetic film which took the world by storm at the hands of French director Luc Besson is (unbelievably?) 25 years old and has become a true cult film for genre lovers. A lot has happened in the two and a half decades since it was released in cinemas, but what happened to the actors and actresses who were part of the cast?

In 'The Fifth Element,' Bruce Willis played Korben Dallas, who in the year 2263 is a retired Special Forces soldier in the Federated Army after being fired by Zorg. He has been a taxi driver for six months. Despite being hunted by the police, he's hired back by the army to retrieve the first four elements (water, air, earth, and fire) and save the Earth from 'The Big Bad.'

Of the cast members of 'The Fifth Element,' Bruce Willis is the most topical, having now retired after being diagnosed with aphasia. His career, however, was very active after he played Korben Dallas, with titles as successful as 'Armageddon' (1998), 'The Sixth Sense' (1999), 'The Whole Nine Yards' (2000), and 'Surrogates' (2009).

Milla Jovovich was Leeloo, THE fifth element no less! An essential character to end 'The Big Bad' and pursued by Zorg who wants to destroy her. During the film, she meets the good Korben Dallas, who will have no choice but to become her protector.

The role of Leeloo was a great leap in her career and, since then, she has not stopped working as an actress. Her most successful period was between 2000 and 2006, with films such as 'Resident Evil' (2002) and 'Ultraviolet' (2006). One of her latest works was when she became the 'Monster Hunter' (2020). New in 2023 and after are 'Hummingbird' and 'In the Lost Lands.' In addition, we have also seen her as a singer and fashion designer alongside supermodel Carmen Hawk.

The great villain of 'The Fifth Element,' the evil Zorg works for 'The Big Bad' and is the head of the Zorg Industries corporation. The company produces weapons and other advanced technological devices to help his boss wipe out the planet.

When he played Zorg, he already had some great roles under his belt such as 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' (1992) or 'Leon' (1994). After 'The Fifth Element' his career continued to grow with more films, including his roles as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter saga and Commissioner Gordon in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. In 2018 he won the Oscar for Best Actor for his work in 'The Darkest Hour.' Notable recent projects include the series 'Slow Horses' and the film 'Mank' (2020) for which he was nominated for an Oscar.

The priest Vito Cornelius, played by Ian Holm, is the guardian of the Mondoshawan order. Leeloo brings the theft of the stones representing the different elements to the leaders' attention. Together, they find a way to retrieve them from where they were hidden.

The actor had already won two Baftas and Cannes awards for his role in 'Chariots of Fire' (1981). After his time in 'The Fifth Element', Ian Holm played other memorable roles such as Bilbo Baggins in the trilogies of 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit.' He became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II before dying at the age of 88 in 2020 from complications of Parkinson's disease.

Ruby Rhod is an eccentric and famous presenter of a radio program sponsored by Fhloston Paradise, It has an audience of no less than a quarter of the population of the Federated Territories, something like over fifty billion listeners. Rhod gets caught up in history by being in the right place at the right time: the opera concert of the Diva Plavalaguna.

Chris Tucker has stood out throughout his career as a comedy actor and 'The Fifth Element' appeared to be a break from that work. Afterward came others such as 'Rush Hour' alongside Jackie Chan. However, his only appearances on the big screen since 1998 come from this saga and his role as detective James Carter. Currently, he is mostly giving stand-up performances, although he also appeared in the film 'Air' in 2023.

In 'The Fifth Element,' Brion James plays General Munro (l), the military commander who hires Korben Dallas for the mission to retrieve the stones. Fairbank plays the role of Mactilburgh, the chief scientist at the Manhattan Nucleological Center who's responsible for reconstructing Leeloo's body.

Brion James is known for playing tough guys, such as his legendary role as Leon Kowalski in the film 'Blade Runner' (1982). Perhaps because of this profile, he was chosen by Luc Besson for the role of General Munro. It would be his penultimate character for the big screen. In 1998 he made his last film, 'Heist' while also participating in the series 'Millennium'. However, his career was cut short only a year later, in 1999, when a heart attack ended his life at the age of 54.

Born in 1953, Christopher Fairbank has had an extensive filmography that began in 1979. Many remember his role as a mugger in Tim Burton's 'Batman' (1989), but he also appeared in 'Alien 3' (1992), 'Goal!' (2005), and 'Naked Lennon' (2010), among many others.

Tommy Lister played the role of President Lindberg in 'The Fifth Element,' a secondary character with an air of solemnity and bad blood. The boss is in the midst of a chaotic situation caused by 'The Big Bad.'

Lister gained recognition with his portrayal of Deebo in the film 'Friday' (1995), two years before participating in 'The Fifth Element.' His career continued to develop until he died of Covid-19 in 2020. He worked with Adam Sandler in 'Little Nicky' (2000), with Mike Myers in 'Austin Powers in Gold Member' (2002), and with Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia, and Rachel Weisz in the police thriller 'Confidence' (2003).

Diva Plavalaguna is another of the secondary characters in 'The Fifth Element', but she has particular relevance in the plot. It's not just because of her blue alien appearance and her memorable performance, but also because she is the one who is entrusted with the custody of the elemental stones.

Maïwenn Le Besco is the actress who plays Diva Plavalaguna in the film. She was married to Luc Besson until 1997, the year of the release of 'The Fifth Element.' Since then, she has been seen in several French films and also started working as a screenwriter and director. In 2011 she won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her film 'Polisse.'

This Albanian lyric soprano voiced the character of Diva Plavalaguna at the time of her stellar performance singing 'Il Dulce Suono' from Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor. At the moment, the musician continues to tour with operas all over the world, enchanting audiences with her magnificent voice.

Lee Evans plays a recurring character in the film, a rather clueless and frightened member of the security team who is responsible for welcoming Diva Plavalaguna to her room before her performance.

Lee Evans rose to fame in the 1990s for his particular style in the world of comedy. Since his appearance in 'The Fifth Element,' we have seen him in other films such as 'There's Something About Mary' (1998), 'The Medallion' (2003), and the series 'Doctor Who' (2005).

Charlie Creed-Miles played the role of the nervous apprentice monk who always goes along with Vito Cornelius (Ian Holm) and who is also part of the team that tries to save the planet from 'The Big Bad'.

After his participation in 'The Fifth Element', Charlie Creed-Miles continued acting in English films and series. Recent work includes the series 'Giri/Haji' and the film 'Gunfight at Dry River.'

A subordinate of the evil Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, he spies for his boss on the president and other authorities, using a cockroach with a built-in camera.

Adrian Thaws, better known as 'Tricky', is not really an actor but rather a record producer, vocalist, director, and musician. He's one of the most representative examples of the trip-hop scene. His time in 'The Fifth Element' was a unique film collaboration, and he is currently still doing what he does best: music. His latest album, 'Fall to pieces', was released in 2020.

John Neville also plays a small role in 'The Fifth Element', that of General Staedert. He is tasked with launching missiles by order of the President against 'The Big Bad.' As he ignores his orders, the size and threat of 'The Big Bad' increases and eventually engulfs his ship with him and his crew on board.

Most commonly known for 'The Adventures of Baron Munchausen,' Neville was an accomplished British theater actor for most of his career. He worked until 2006, five years before his death after suffering from Alzheimer's.

In 'The Fifth Element,' John Bluthal plays Professor Pacoli in the opening scene of the film. He is an Italian archaeologist who studies engravings on the walls of an ancient temple in the Egyptian desert in 1914. He then comes very close to making a great discovery, as these engravings suggest that every 5,000 years a being called 'The Big Bad' arrives on Earth.

A Polish-born comedian and radio broadcaster and actor in theatre, television, and film, he developed his international career spanning six decades in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. His last film was the film 'Jungle' (2017), directed by Greg McLean. He passed away in 2019, aged 89.

Luke Perry played a small, sporadic role in 'The Fifth Element.' He was Billy Masterson, an assistant to Professor Massimo Pacoli (John Bluthal) who appeared in the first scenes of the film, set in Egypt in 1914. In those scenes, the men are overwhelmed by the Mondoshawans who arrive at the ancient ruins to take over the elements.

He became famous for his role as Dylan McKay in the series 'Beverly Hills, 90210' (1990-1995 and 1998-2000). In between, he had the opportunity to join the cast of 'The Fifth Element.' Throughout the rest of his career, Perry mostly played in small and independent productions, often co-producing series and TV movies. In 2019, he passed away at the age of 52, the victim of a stroke.