Rihanna To Voice Smurfette In ‘The Smurfs Movie’
Rihanna has been cast as Smurfette in the upcoming The Smurfs Movie. “I tried to get the Papa Smurf role but It didn’t work out,” the singer joked during her surprise in-person visit to CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
Rihanna is no stranger to working with animated films. The “Diamonds” singer previously lent her voice to the 2015 DreamWorks animated feature Home. Rihanna starred as the main character Gratuity ‘Tip’ Tucci.
Her acting credits also include live-action films. She’s previously starred in Battleship, This Is the End, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Ocean’s 8, and Guava Island.
Her First Film Involvement Since Wakanda Forever
The last time Rihanna was involved in a film was for the soundtrack to the Marvel Black Panther sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“Lift Me Up” marked the singer’s reemergence into music after a six-year hiatus. The song was co-written by Rihanna, Tems, Ludwig Göransson, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler. The record was nominated for Best Original Song at this year’s Oscars which marked Rihanna’s first Academy Award nomination.
She performed “Lift Me Up” at the 2023 Oscars ceremony. She was nominated alongside Lady Gaga and Bloodpop with their nomination for “Hold My Hand” which was written for Top Gun: Maverick. Other songs that are nominated in the category were: “Applause” by Sofia Carson from Tell It Like a Woman, Rahul Sipligunj, Kaala Bhairava, and M.M. Keeravani’s “Naatu Naatu” (RRR) and Son Lux featuring Mitski and David Byrne’s “This Is a Life” (Everything Everywhere All at Once). Rahul Sipligunj, Kaala Bhairava, and M.M. Keeravani’s “Naatu Naatu” ended up taking the win for the category.
Rihanna also contributed “Born Again” to the film’s soundtrack.
Wakanda Forever was up for five other Oscars this year. It was nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Angela Bassett), Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup, and Hairstyling. The film’s sole win for the night was to Ruth E. Carter for Best Costume Design, her second win in that category.
The Smurfs Movie is set to hit theaters on Feb. 14, 2025.
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