There is a lot to say about the one and only Rihanna; not only is she one of the best-selling musicians of all time, a CEO whose brands have now become staples of the beauty and fashion industry, a trailblazer in fashion, and one of the best-dressed people in history, but she's also got a pretty solid acting career under her belt too. Her lustrous career is something that very few ever get to experience, and it's clear that she isn't going away any time soon, with her future biopic bound to hit the silver screen one day.
While we sit patiently through another year without a new album or even any kind of news about the possibility of listening to new songs, watching her best and most loved film roles can help the long wait pass by just a little bit easier and experience all the acting chops the star has to offer in the meantime.
'Ocean's 8' (2018)
When it comes to the long-standing, heist-film franchise Ocean's that first premiered in 1960, its main charm and lasting survival has always been the chemistry between its celebrity ensemble cast members with A-List names featured in the first film such as five members of the infamous "Rat Pack" consisting of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. The film keeps up this legacy with its most recent 2018 instalment of an all-female cast of Sarah Paulson, Cate Blanchett, Awkafina, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, and many more talented stars including, of course, Rihanna.
As far as remakes of classic film franchises go, Ocean's 8 is pretty good and follows all the same beats as an Ocean's film should, making sure that even the most diehard fan will be satisfied. Rihanna plays the character Nine Ball, the team's expert hacker who assists the glamorous heist at the Met Gala, and plays off the bouncy energy of her fellow castmates excellently and gives off a pretty fun performance. Rihanna is still given enough screentime to really shine on her own in this film, even if she still excels best when she's working alongside the star-studded group.
'Guava Island' (2019)
Rihanna is once again paired off with a fellow celebrity in a film with Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover and known for his acting in the series Community and Atlanta, not only starring alongside her in the musical-film Guava Island but also assisting behind the scenes with its story and screenplay. The film follows local Cuban celebrity Deni (Donald Glover) and his girlfriend Kofi (Rihanna) who also acts as the film's narrator, as he attempts to hold a music festival against the backdrop of political corruption that aims to work against him.
Guava Island is a creative venture for both artists and features hits such as "This Is America" and "Feels Like Summer" in thematically interesting ways, even if Rihanna doesn't get to show off her singing (seriously girl, please sing again!) she still gives a great performance and helps the film really sparkle. It's short and sweet and straight to the point, making it another great addition to Rihanna's acting repertoire.
'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets' (2017)
First and foremost, Luc Besson is a creep and shouldn't be allowed to keep making movies, and secondly, Rihanna does a superb job in the ill-fated and mismanaged Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. It's not necessarily a bad film per se, but its pacing, length, and the miscasting of the film's protagonist don't really give it any favors and definitely added to the film's failure at the box office and with critics. But it's still pretty visually stunning and gives a unique story in the realm of science-fiction and still has some good moments, especially shown with Rihanna's character, Bubble.
We are first introduced to Bubble through an elaborate burlesque number that features multiple costume changes (seven, to be exact) and is just as fun and mesmerizing as you'd expect Rihanna doing a striptease to be, but she then reveals her true self to be a giant, shape-shifting, blue alien who works as a indentured servant forced to perform. Rihanna's performance gives a sensitive depth to Bubble, showing her to be more than just a dancer but also a capable and intelligent being and still remains one of the only good things to come out of the film.
'Bring It On: All or Nothing' (2006)
Okay, so Rihanna doesn't really act in this film since she plays herself so this might be a bit of a stretch, but she does get to tell off a bratty, privileged white girl for calling a cheer squad "ghetto," which is a real highlight. Like all other works in the Bring It On cinematic universe, this 2006 sports-comedy film follows a high school cheerleading squad and has multiple choreographed dance and cheerleading sequences, with this film ending with the characters dancing along to Rihanna's classic song, "Pon de Replay".
It might not be her most accomplished work, and there are doubts if Rihanna even remembers being part of this film, but it's arguably her most fun role and is one of the few times she gets to show off her music, and is also a time-capsule of the star's early career beginnings as a pop singer, so it's pretty sentimental and nostalgic to look back to when she first began her career.