History Trivia / TheFifthElement

* PlayingAgainstType

** Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. as the President, playing a more prominent and powerful role than his typical ScaryBlackMan parts.
** Brion James playing something besides a low-life criminal scum.

* OldShame: Asked in a 2014 interview if he liked the film, Creator/GaryOldman stated, "Oh no. I can't bear it." He had explained in 2011: "It was me singing for my supper because Luc had come in and partly financed [my film]."

** Elizabeth Berkley auditioned for the role of Leeloo, but studios were reluctant to hire her after the disaster of ''{{Film/Showgirls}}''.

* ActorAllusion:
** Creator/IanHolm on a spaceship with a man called Dallas. At least this time he's [[{{Film/Alien}} stopping aliens instead of helping them]].
** The Diva's name translates as 'blue lagoon'. Creator/MillaJovovich, who plays Leeloo, had starred in ''Film/ReturnToTheBlueLagoon''.
* TheCameo
** The mugger waiting at Korben's door is none other than ''Film/{{Gothika}}'s'' and ''Film/LaHaine'''s french filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz.
** The Mangalores' human disguises (and a lot of extras) are played by fashion models who worked with costume designer Jean-Paul Gaultier.
** Fog, the nervous, stammering bellboy, is played by British stand-up comedian/occasional actor Lee Evans.
** The larger of the two cops getting their lunch at UsefulNotes/McDonalds is played by Mac [=McDonald=], well known (in the UK, at least) for playing Captain Frank Hollister, the ranking officer in charge of ''Series/RedDwarf''.

* CastingGag: The man waiting impatiently at [=McDonald=]'s is played by Mac [=McDonald=].

* DungeonmastersGirlfriend: DoubleSubverted. Creator/LucBesson wanted his girlfriend to play Diva Plavalaguna, but she initially refused because she didn't want to complicate their relationship. It was only when the actress they hired backed out that she agreed. The movie also marked the end of Besson's relationship with Maïwenn, given he ditched her for the film's main actress, Creator/MillaJovovich.

* MoneyDearBoy: Creator/GaryOldman is such a good friend of Creator/LucBesson, he took the part without reading the script, doing this film to repay Besson for part-financing his film ''Film/NilByMouth''. Asked in a 2014 interview if he liked the film, Oldman stated, "Oh no. I can't bear it." He had explained in 2011: "It was me singing for my supper because Luc had come in and partly financed [my film]."

** Alert film buffs will note that Korben and Zorg never meet each other face to face. In an original draft of the script, Zorg would have faced Korben during the hotel evacuation, where the latter beat the crap out of the former for firing him and attacking Leeloo before stealing his ship (the ZF-1 was out of ammo, which resulted in Zorg's VillainousBSoD). Zorg then survives the destruction of the hotel with the personal shield of the ZF-1, only to land in a massive glacier. He then calls his secretary to send another ship, only for the battery in his ZF-1 phone to fail. That ending is featured in the novelization.

** The mugger waiting at Korben's door is none other than ''Film/{{Gothika}}'' 's and ''Film/LaHaine'' 's french filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz.

* StarMakingRole: Creator/MillaJovovich, in her first lead after ''[[OldShame Return to]] TheBlueLagoon''.

** Alert film buffs will note that Korben and Zorg never meet each other face to face. In an original draft of the script, Zorg would have faced Korben during the hotel evacuation, where the latter beat the crap out of the former for firing him and attacking Leeloo before stealing his ship (the ZF-1 was out of ammo, which resulted in Zorg's VillainousBSoD). Zorg then survives the destruction of the hotel with the personal shield of the ZF-1, only to land in a massive glacier. He then calls his secretary to send another ship, only for the battery in his ZF-1 phone to fail. That ending is featured in the novalization.

** ActorAllusion: When Cornelius apologizes to Korben for mugging him, he calls him "Mr. Willis".

* MoneyDearBoy¿: Creator/GaryOldman is such a good friend of Creator/LucBesson, he took the part without reading the script, doing this film to repay Besson for part-financing his film ''Film/NilByMouth''. Asked in a 2014 interview if he liked the film, Oldman stated, "Oh no. I can't bear it." He had explained in 2011: "It was me singing for my supper because Luc had come in and partly financed [my film]."

* MoneyDearBoy¿: Creator/GaryOldman is such a good friend of Creator/LucBesson, he took the part without reading the script, doing this film to repay Besson for part-financing his film ''Film/NilByMouth''. Asked in a 2014 interview if he liked the film, Oldman stated, "Oh no. I can't bear it." He had explained in 2011: "It was me singing for my supper because Luc had come in and partly financed [my film]."

* MoneyDearBoy / OldShame: Creator/GaryOldman is such a good friend of Creator/LucBesson, he took the part without reading the script, doing this film to repay Besson for part-financing his film ''Film/NilByMouth''. Asked in a 2014 interview if he liked the film, Oldman stated, "Oh no. I can't bear it." He had explained in 2011: "It was me singing for my supper because Luc had come in and partly financed [my film]."

** Luc Besson got Chris Tucker into Ruby Rhod's ImpossiblyTackyClothes with a BaitAndSwitch; his first request was an outfit so hideously ridiculous no-one will speak of it.

** Ian Holm on a spaceship with a man called Dallas. At least this time he's [[{{Film/Alien}} stopping aliens instead of helping them]].
** The Diva's name translates as 'blue lagoon'. Milla Jovovich, who plays Leeloo, had starred in ''Film/ReturnToTheBlueLagoon''.

* CastTheExpert: Milla Jovovich is fluent in four languages, and so had little trouble learning the alien language written by Luc Besson. They were apparently able to have fluent conversations in the language by the end of filming.

* DungeonmastersGirlfriend: DoubleSubverted. Besson wanted his girlfriend to play Diva Plavalaguna, but she initially refused because she didn't want to complicate their relationship. It was only when the actress they hired backed out that she agreed. The movie also marked the end of Besson's relationship with Maïwenn, given he ditched her for the film's main actress, Creator/MillaJovovich.

** The wonder on Bruce Willis' face when the diva sings is real. That was the first time he'd heard it.
** When Korben first meets Leeloo and she starts talking to him in her language, Luc Besson didn't tell Bruce Willis what Milla Jovovich was going to say to him, so Bruce's reactions are real.

** British actor Gary Oldman plays Zorg, a character who speaks with an extremely exaggerated southern US twang (illustrated by the line "Leave them one crate. For the cause." which is so heavily accented it comes out sounding like "For the course.")

** Gary Oldman, sporting a slicked-down partial Mohawk, a beard like a misplaced Hitler mustache, a southern accent and giving one of the most low-key but still awesome performances of his career.

* StarMakingRole: Milla Jovovich, in her first lead after ''[[OldShame Return to]] TheBlueLagoon''.
* ThrowItIn: Bruce Willis ad-libbed the line "I only speak two languages - English and bad English."

** Elizabeth Berkley auditioned for the role of Leeloo, but studios were reluctant to hire her after the disaster of ''Film/Showgirls''.

* DyeHard: Creator/MillaJovovich's hair was to be dyed from its natural brown color to her character's signature orange color. However, due to the fact that her hair had to be re-dyed regularly to maintain the bright color, Milla's hair quickly became too damaged and broken to withstand the dye. Eventually a wig was created to match the color and style of Leeloo's hair, and was used for the remainder of the production.

** Alert film buffs will note that Korben and Zorg never meet each other face to face. In an original draft of the script, Zorg would have faced Korben during the hotel evacuation, where the latter beat the crap out of the former for firing him and attacking Leeloo before stealing his ship (the ZF-1 was out of ammo). Zorg then survives the destruction of the hotel with the personal shield of the ZF-1, only to land in a massive glacier. He then calls his secretary to send another ship, only for the battery in his ZF-1 phone to fail.

** Zorg's hapless assistant Right Arm (who operates the cockroach bug and impersonates Korben at the spaceport) is UK trip-hop artist Tricky. To be fair, Tricky's appearance is more like HeyItsThatGuy than TheCameo, especially given he lasted half the movie.

* HeyItsThatGuy
** [[{{Amelie}} Nino]] wants da cash.
** [[Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen Baron Munchausen]] is one of the unfortunate first victims of Mr Shadow.
** [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Bilbo Baggins]] is Priest Vito Cornelius.
** General Munro used to be a [[Film/BladeRunner replicant]].
** General Munro wanted Korben to go to Phloston Paradise with [[Film/TheLivingDaylights Rosika Miklos]], but Korben wasn't interested. [[Film/StrikingDistance In a previous life, Munro and Dallas were Pittsburgh cops...]]
** Hey, that Mangalore dude at the airport is also an [[Film/HarryPotter Auror]]!
** That's nothing, Zorg is a Animagus!
** Leeloo got her ass-kicking skills from [[Film/ResidentEvil Alice]].
** Ruby Rhod used to be a [[Film/RushHour detective]].
** [[Film/{{Friday}} Smokey]] wisely avoids Deebo in the future.
** [[Series/RedDwarf Captain Hollister]] makes a short appearance as a cop.
** [[Series/TheXFiles The Well-Manicured Man]] tried to kill the Great Evil at the beginning.
** And then [[Film/{{Aliens}} Sgt. Apone]] takes over his position.
** And [[Series/AufWiedersehenPet Moxey]] as the chief scientist who recreates Leeloo.
** [[Film/TheresSomethingAboutMary Tucker]] went on to work on a spaceship after his Architect/Pizza gig didn't work out.
** The Archaeologist at the beginning is [[Film/DarkCity Uncle Karl]]!
** Korben's mother is uncredited, but speculated to be Jill Mullan.

* DungeonmastersGirlfriend: DoubleSubverted. Besson wanted his girlfriend to play Diva Plavalaguna, but she initially refused because she didn't want to complicate their relationship. It was only when the actress they hired backed out that she agreed.
** RomanceOnTheSet: The movie also marked the end of Besson's relationship with Maïwenn, given he ditched her for the film's main actress, Creator/MillaJovovich.

* EnforcedMethodActing: The wonder on Bruce Willis' face when the diva sings is real. That was the first time he'd heard it.

* FakeAmerican: British actor Gary Oldman plays Zorg, a character who speaks with an extremely exaggerated southern US twang (illustrated by the line "Leave them one crate. For the cause." which is so heavily accented it comes out sounding like "For the course.")

** General Munro wanted Korben to go to Phloston Paradise with [[Film/TheLivingDaylights Rosika Miklos]], but Korben wasn't interested.
*** [[Film/StrikingDistance In a previous life, Munro and Dallas were Pittsburgh cops...]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Alert film buffs will note that Korben and Zorg never meet each other face to face. In an original draft of the script, Zorg would have faced Korben during the hotel evacuation, where the latter beat the crap out of the former for firing him and attacking Leeloo before stealing his ship (the ZF-1 was out of ammo). Zorg then survives the destruction of the hotel with the personal shield of the ZF-1, only to land in a massive glacier. He then calls his secretary to send another ship, only for the battery in his ZF-1 phone to fail.

** The larger of the two cops getting their lunch at McDonalds is played by Mac [=McDonald=], well known (in the UK, at least) for playing Captain Frank Hollister, the ranking officer in charge of ''Series/RedDwarf''.

* DyeHard: ''Creator/MillaJovovich'''s hair was to be dyed from its natural brown color to her character's signature orange color. However, due to the fact that her hair had to be re-dyed regularly to maintain the bright color, Milla's hair quickly became too damaged and broken to withstand the dye. Eventually a wig was created to match the color and style of Leeloo's hair, and was used for the remainder of the production.

* Korben's mother is uncredited, but speculated to be Jill Mullan

* DyeHard: ''MillaJovovich'''s hair was to be dyed from its natural brown color to her character's signature orange color. However, due to the fact that her hair had to be re-dyed regularly to maintain the bright color, Milla's hair quickly became too damaged and broken to withstand the dye. Eventually a wig was created to match the color and style of Leeloo's hair, and was used for the remainder of the production.

** When Korban first meets Leeloo and she starts talking to him in her language, Luc Besson didn't tell Bruce Willis what Milla Jovovich was going to say to him, so Bruce's reactions are real.