Editing The Fifth Element (section)

===Filming===
Production began in early August 1995. Besson traveled to various places for casting, including Paris, London, and Rome.{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=13}} He hired [[Gary Oldman]] (who had starred in ''Léon'') for the role of Zorg, describing Oldman as "one of the top-five actors in the world".<ref name=stephen/>

For the character Leeloo, Besson chose [[Milla Jovovich]] from the 200–300 applicants he met in person.<ref name=stephen/> The "Divine Language" spoken by Leeloo is a [[fictional language]] of 400 words, invented by Besson. To practice, Jovovich and Besson held conversations and exchanged letters in the language.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rogers |first=Stephen D |date=15 November 2011 |title=The Dictionary of Made-Up Languages: From Elvish to Klingon, The Anwa, Reella, Ealray, Yeht (Real) Origins of Invented Lexicons |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GTXrDQAAQBAJ&q=%22hold+conversations+in+The+Divine+Language%22&pg=PT93 |publisher=Adams Media |page=51 |isbn=978-1-4405-2817-0 }}</ref> Besson was then married to [[Maïwenn|Maïwenn le Besco]], who played the role of the Diva Plavalaguna when filming began. He left her to take up with Jovovich during filming.<ref name=maiwen>{{cite web |url=http://anthemmagazine.com/film-critic-maiwenns-polisse/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208052359/http://anthemmagazine.com/film-critic-maiwenns-polisse/ |archive-date=8 December 2014 |title=Film Critic: Maïwenn's 'Polisse' |last1= Change|first1=Kee|date=5 May 2012 |work=Anthem Magazine |access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref> Jovovich and Besson later married but divorced two years later in 1999.<ref name="H&Q">{{cite journal|last=Buys |first=Sara |title= Milla's Tale | date = January 2003| journal= [[Harpers & Queen]]| url= http://www.millaj.com/art/harpersqueen0103.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026085410/http://www.millaj.com/art/harpersqueen0103.shtml |archive-date=26 October 2014 | access-date =30 January 2015}}</ref>

Although he wanted to shoot in France, Besson was unable to find suitable facilities, so he filmed in London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/paris-prosecutors-probe-luc-bessons-film-city-studios.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59891&NewsCatID=351 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129041056/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/paris-prosecutors-probe-luc-bessons-film-city-studios.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59891&NewsCatID=351 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |title=Paris prosecutors probe Luc Besson's 'Film City' studios |date=20 December 2013 |work=[[Hürriyet Daily News]] |access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref> It was primarily filmed at [[Pinewood Studios]] on seven soundstages{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=152}} including the [[007 Stage]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/production/fifth-element |title=The Fifth Element |work=[[Pinewood Studios]] |access-date=30 January 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113111819/http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/production/fifth-element |archive-date=13 November 2014 }}</ref> Construction of sets began in October 1995.{{sfn|Besson|1997|pages=9–10}} The opera scene was filmed at the [[Royal Opera House]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roh.org.uk/news/top-films-featuring-opera-20-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116111132/http://www.roh.org.uk/news/top-films-featuring-opera-20-16 |archive-date=16 November 2014 |title=Top films featuring opera 20-16 |last1=Shipman |first1=Chris |date=11 October 2011 |website=[[Royal Opera House]] |access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref> Scenes depicted as being in Egypt were filmed in [[Mauritania]];<ref name=shay>{{cite journal |last=Elrick |first=Ted |year=1997 |title=Elemental Images |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RWcqAQAAIAAJ&q=cinefex+%22fifth+element%22+mauritania |journal=[[Cinefex]] |issue=70 |pages=130 |access-date=15 July 2016 |archive-date=22 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322183037/https://books.google.com/books?id=RWcqAQAAIAAJ&q=cinefex+%22fifth+element%22+mauritania |url-status=live }}</ref> the first shoot, a background shot of the desert, occurred there on 5 January 1996.{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=18}} Filming with actors began in late January, and was completed 21 weeks later.{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=116}} Willis finished filming on 16 May,{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=92}} while Oldman only commenced filming the following week;{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=96}} the protagonist (Korben) and antagonist (Zorg) never actually share any screen time.{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=68}} Despite being filmed in London, ''The Fifth Element'' was a French production,<ref name=faber>{{cite book |last=Drazin |first=Charles |title=The Faber Book of French Cinema |url=https://archive.org/details/frenchcinema0000draz |url-access=registration |quote=fifth element french films. |year=2011 |publisher=[[Faber and Faber]] |isbn=978-0-571-21849-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/frenchcinema0000draz/page/382 382]}}</ref>{{sfn|Mazdon|2000|page=109}} the costliest European film ever made at the time.<ref name=alice>{{cite book |last=LaPlante |first=Alice |title=Playing for Profit: How Digital Entertainment is Making Big Business Out of Child's Play |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9uBnZHmg3VYC&q=%22fifth+element%22+expensive+french&pg=PA58 |year=1999 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-471-29614-0 |page=58 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=22 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322183048/https://books.google.com/books?id=9uBnZHmg3VYC&q=%22fifth+element%22+expensive+french&pg=PA58#v=snippet&q=%22fifth%20element%22%20expensive%20french&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

The New York designs were derived from both [[Metabolism (architecture)|metabolist]]-inspired masses of modular apartments from the 1960s and the futuristic designs of architect [[Antonio Sant'Elia]] in the 1910s.{{sfn|Hanson|2005|page=65}} Besson demanded that most of the action shots take place in broad daylight, as he was reportedly tired of the dark spaceship corridors and dimly lit planets common in science-fiction films, and wanted a brighter, "cheerfully crazy" look as opposed to a gloomy, realistic one.{{sfn|Bizony|2001|page=169}}

Gaultier designed each of the 900 costumes worn by extras in the Fhloston Paradise scenes and checked each costume every morning.{{sfn|Besson|1997|page=68}} His designs, described as "intellectually [[Transgressive art|transgressive]]",<ref>Hayward, p. 96.</ref> were said to challenge sexuality and gender norms.{{sfn|Hayward|2009|page=104}} A single jacket he designed cost $5,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/08/garden/french-futurists-no-honor-at-home.html?pagewanted=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201041638/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/08/garden/french-futurists-no-honor-at-home.html?pagewanted=2 |archive-date=1 February 2015 |title=French Futurists: No Honor at Home |last=Spindler |first=Amy M |date=8 May 1997 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=1 February 2015}}</ref> Jovovich's costume worn from when her character was first revived was inspired by typical hospital dressing and bandages that provided minimal modesty.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.vogue.com/article/behind-the-moment-milla-jovovich | title = Milla Jovovich Talks Her Epic The Fifth Element Costume | first = Liana | last = Satenstein | date = 11 May 2022 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511201006/https://www.vogue.com/article/behind-the-moment-milla-jovovich |archivedate=11 May 2022 | work = [[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]] }}</ref>

The original name of the character Ruby Rhod was Loc Rhod, which appears both in the original script and in the novel adapted from the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/au/news/the-404-yuletide-mini-sode-where-the-404-is-the-fifth-element/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014135521/http://www.cnet.com/au/news/the-404-yuletide-mini-sode-where-the-404-is-the-fifth-element/ |archive-date=14 October 2014 |title=The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where The 404 is the Fifth Element |last1=Yu |first1=Justin |date=28 December 2009 |website=[[CNET]] |access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref> Hayward speculated that the name change was a play on data in the periodic table. [[Rubidium]] is the first of the [[period&nbsp;5 element]]s, and exactly halfway along that row is the element [[rhodium]]. Using the first half of each element yields "Rubi Rhod".{{sfn|Hayward|2009|page=89}} Others have speculated this name is a play on the character's [[gender bender|gender-bending]] persona, with a feminine first name and phallic surname.<ref name=women/> Musician [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] was originally cast to portray Rhod, but could not schedule filming around his [[Jam of the Year World Tour]] dates.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2016/04/24/fifth-element-prince-ruby-rhod-luc-besson/ |title=The Fifth Element: Prince Ruby Rhod casting didn't work out, says director Luc Besson |last=Romano |first=Nick |date=24 April 2016 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212014659/https://ew.com/article/2016/04/24/fifth-element-prince-ruby-rhod-luc-besson/ |archive-date=12 February 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Chris Tucker and [[Jamie Foxx]] were each considered for the role; Besson liked Foxx, but felt that Tucker's smaller body suited the character better.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/07/19/fifth-element-oral-history-luc-besson/ |title=There will never be another Fifth Element – and more amazing stories about the making of Luc Besson's 1997 classic |last=Greenblatt |first=Leah |date=19 July 2017 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609192520/https://ew.com/movies/2017/07/19/fifth-element-oral-history-luc-besson/ |archive-date=9 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>