Considering Rihanna, the Actress
Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 1:33PM Robert here. The latest teaser trailer for Luc Besson's sci-fi epic Valerian dropped today. I have a tepid relationship with the type of high-concept sci-fi that Valerian promises to deliver, but one thing about the project has piqued my interest: sexy space Rihanna, ya'll.
With Valerian coming out later this year, a roll in Oceans 8 as part of an actressing ensemble that appears to be assembled by way of collective gay the Secreting and a two episode arch on The Bates Motel now under her belt, it appears that Rihanna is looking to add film star to her resume.
So, what should we make of Rihanna the actress?
Some may remember that Rihanna's acting career actually began in 2012 with a supporting role in Battleship, a nautical alien invasion film based on the completely unrelated board game of the same name. The film itself got predictable bad reviews and most dismissed Rihanna as nothing but stunt casting in a movie that was already a The Simpsons joke of itself. However Rihanna is actually pretty good as weapon's expert Raikes. Her physicality is better than her line readings (but with the lines she had to work with, there's only so much that can be done), but I think overall it's a very respectable showing. I will say the same for her turn as a reimagined Marion Crane in The Bates Motel, where she brings a revamped sense of sexy danger to the role made famous by Janet Leigh in Psycho. In fact, I think she's pretty darn good in The Bates Motel.
Both of those roles are very comfortably in her wheelhouse and her upcoming projects also appear to be more or less Rihanna music videos with dialogue instead of song lyrics. To that I say: THANK GOD. When people imagine music starlets moving onto the big screen the first thing that pops into most people's heads is the sad story of Madonna's career as an actress. What gets lost in the whole narrative is the fact that her first film outing – the '80s classic Desperately Seeking Susan – is great and she's great in it. I understand why Madonna would think that she would be a great actress because her whole career was acting. I think she and Rihanna have that in common. You have to be a good actress to pull off the kind of performances that these women have given in music videos and on stage. Unfortunately for Madonna she was never good at delivering lines, and so her film career went the way of the dodo.
I have faith in Rihanna's film career, however, because she appears to be taking it in stride. Sticking to what she's good at the first couple of times out of the gate is smart. Madonna went from Desperately Seeking Susan, a supporting role where the character's description could have just been "A Madonna type," to Shanghai Surprise, a co-lead playing a missionary nurse in a period rom-com. Perhaps that was too much too fast to truly nurture her talents.
Rihanna's current trajectory feels more comfortable. As a fan of Rihanna, the artist, I would love to see what she can do, and I have high hopes for her film career. For every Madonna there has been a Cher or Queen Latifah and I don't think that it's crazy to think that RiRi could follow in their footsteps.
Have you been impressed with Rihanna's acting chops thus far? Do you think she has a shot at a legitimate acting career?
Reader Comments (19)
A strong Razzie contender.
She had to drop out of Annette
Bening. Disappointed. Hoping they replace her with Janelle Monae.More evidence that Rihanna is the closest thing to Madonna this generation deserves. And we still don't deserve her.
Madonna was great in both "Desperately Seeking Susan" and "Evita". Rihanna's best moment has to be "This is the End" and that bitchslap to Michael Cera... which reportedly was NOT faked...
Rihanna is superior to Madonna.
Rihanna is going in to movies? She is the last so called actress I would ever pay to see on screen. She needs to go back to her day job.
Her performance in Bates Motel was bland, utterly lacking in any charisma of sort. And her line reading was terrible.
Much better singer!
Beyoncé > Madonna > Rihanna in terms of careers and music.
Rihanna > Madonna > Beyoncé in terms of acting.
Mariah Carey in Precious was robbed of a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
The sensation behind Bollywood Latest Tadka From Alia Bhatt Movies wherein she is pairing Sharukh Khan in her latest debut film directed by Gauri, remains to be seen for the audience response. Let us wait and watch in view of the fact that Alia symbolizes Rihanna's film career
This is a firm 'NO' for me. Rihanna is as irksome as an actress as she's as obnoxious as a singer. And major disclaimer; I never got the Madonna hype. Like ever. I understand what she's done, and how she did it, but I remain, after all these years, completely unimpressed. She's one of the worst actresses with major opportunities and just because she was good in one film with over a thirty year span of work is just inexcusable. Why make the exceptions for her? And to top it all off, she's just comes across as a horrible person. A talented businesswoman no doubt, but an indelible artist? Please....Material Girl was playing on the radio at work and her vocals were just rotten.The computer deserves more accolades for her so-called vocals than anything else.
i've never seen her act [i barely know what she sings] but if she's doing some kind of space age sally bowles in that top pic i'm gay enough to be interested
I have never seen her act outside a music video. But despite her talent as a singer, she often conveys this lazy, bored IDGAF attitude that just grates on me. Blech.
Looks like it only took 5 posts to get into the _____ is better than _____ game.
Seriously--is there any artist that elicits more "_____ is superior!" comments than Madonna? The mere mention of her name sets off comparisons and digs, even when a post or article isn't really about her. Yawn.
I like Rihanna and like the idea of her taking time to find her way in Hollywood rather than over-shooting. While everyone was pegging Gaga to be effortlessly spinning off hit song after hit song, it's really Rihanna who has accomplished that feat. Like her or not, she's a definitive musical presence of our time. And with Anti, she finally moved into the territory of being an "album artist." I thought Rated R was great, but then she retreated into releasing patchy albums on a yearly basis like clockwork. It felt like Anti was more carefully considered and more of an artistic statement. I hope she shows the same consideration when picking film projects and doesn't just jump at anything.
As a public figure, Rihanna has a mystery and a sense of danger to her. I think it would be great if she found roles that played those qualities up. It'd be awesome if she could do more, but maybe it'd be wise to start with roles that capitalize on her persona and appeal, gain comfort in the craft, and then go from there. If she proves herself to be capable of avoiding the stiff mannerisms of fellow pop stars that have tried acting (and let's be real--Madonna is not the only person who falls into this category), all the better.
She was really good in Bates Motel, but I don't think she's acted enough in movies/television to get enough impression on how "good" she is just yet.
I agree with Joe-Rihanna is personally my favorite pop star of the past decade, and it'd be cool to see her get movies that go along with her dangerous/enigmatic public persona. I don't know if anyone's up for making a great film noir, but I think she'd be an interesting femme fatale-style character.
@AmandaBuffamonteezi - to be fair, Madonna was also very good in A League of Their Own.
She is my favourite popstar of this era sic and i think she has potential in acting. I watched her appearance on Bates Motel she had a few good scenes with norman but she was wooden in some parts i think she needs an acting coach