Editing Milla Jovovich (section)

===Breakthrough (1997–2001)===
[[File:Milla Jovovich Cannes.jpg|thumb|upright|Jovovich attended the [[2000 Cannes Film Festival]].]]
Jovovich returned to acting in 1997 with a lead role in the French science-fiction action film ''The Fifth Element'', alongside [[Bruce Willis]] and [[Gary Oldman]]. This was written and directed by [[Luc Besson]]. She portrayed Leeloo, an alien who helps to save the planet. Jovovich said she "worked like hell: no band practice, no clubs, no pot, nothing"<ref name="work">{{cite news| last= Brill| first= Amy| title= Hollywoodland| magazine= [[Premiere (magazine)|Premiere]]| date= May 1997| url= http://www.millaj.com/art/premiere597.shtml| access-date= May 15, 2013| archive-date= January 29, 2013| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130129224631/http://millaj.com/art/premiere597.shtml| url-status= live}}</ref> to acquire the role and impress Besson. Jovovich co-created and mastered an alien [[fictional language]] of over 400 words for her role.<ref name="yahoo" /> She wore a costume that came to be known as the "ACE-bandage" costume; the body suit designed by [[Jean-Paul Gaultier]] was made of medical bandages.<ref name="yahoo" /><ref>{{cite web | title = Modeling/Picture Gallery | website = millaj.com | url = http://www.millaj.com/model/index.shtml | access-date = May 15, 2013 | archive-date = May 21, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130521064245/http://www.millaj.com/model/index.shtml | url-status = live }}</ref> ''The Fifth Element'' was selected as the opening film for the 1997 [[Cannes Film Festival]], and its worldwide [[box office]] gross was over $263 million, more than three times its budget of $80 million.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Fifth Element | website = [[Box Office Mojo]] | url = https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fifthelement.htm | access-date = May 15, 2013 | archive-date = January 22, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150122210247/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fifthelement.htm | url-status = live }}</ref> ''The Fifth Element'' was often praised for its visual style; critic James Berardinelli wrote, "Jovovich makes an impression, although her effectiveness has little to do with acting and less to do with dialogue".<ref>{{cite web | last= Berardinelli| first= James| title= The Fifth Element | website= reelreviews.com| year= 1997| url= http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/f/fifth.html | access-date = May 15, 2013}}</ref> Jovovich was nominated for "Favorite Female Newcomer" at the [[Blockbuster Entertainment Awards]] and "Best Fight" at the [[MTV Movie Awards]]. The film inspired a [[The Fifth Element (video game)|video game]] and a planned Leeloo action figure, but the figure was never released due to licensing problems.<ref>{{cite web| title = The Fifth Element (1993)| publisher = millaj.com| url = http://www.millaj.com/film/fifth.shtml| access-date = May 15, 2013| archive-date = May 8, 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130508111932/http://millaj.com/film/fifth.shtml| url-status = live}}</ref> In a 2003 interview, Jovovich said Leeloo was her favorite role.<ref name="Leeloo">{{cite journal | last= Howell | first= Peter | title= Even zombie killers are insecure | newspaper= [[Toronto Star]] | date= September 8, 2003 | url= http://www.millaj.com/art/torontostar090803.shtml | access-date= May 15, 2013 | archive-date= September 29, 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130929190006/http://www.millaj.com/art/torontostar090803.shtml | url-status= live }}</ref>

In 1998, Jovovich appeared in [[Spike Lee]]'s drama ''[[He Got Game]],'' as abused prostitute Dakota Burns; she acted with [[Denzel Washington]] and [[Ray Allen]]. In 1999, she appeared in the music video for the song "[[If You Can't Say No]]" by [[Lenny Kravitz]]. That year she returned to the action genre playing the [[Joan of Arc|title role]] in ''[[The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc]]'', under direction of Luc Besson. She cut her hair short and wore armour in several extensive battle scenes. Jovovich received generally good reviews for her performance. The historical drama did moderately well at the box office, gaining $66 million worldwide.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc | website = [[Box Office Mojo]] | url = https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=messenger.htm | access-date = May 15, 2013 | archive-date = January 19, 2016 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20160119000235/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=messenger.htm | url-status = live }}</ref> In 2000, Jovovich appeared as the troubled Eloise in ''[[The Million Dollar Hotel]]'', a film based on a concept story by [[Bono]] of the band [[U2]] and Nicholas Klein. Directed by [[Wim Wenders]], Jovovich starred alongside [[Jeremy Davies]] and [[Mel Gibson]]; she provided vocals on the film's soundtrack. That year she also played bar owner Lucia, in the British [[Western (genre)|western]] film ''[[The Claim (2000 film)|The Claim]]'' (2000). This was followed by a supporting role as the evil Katinka in the comedy ''[[Zoolander]]'' (2001).