USA TODAY International Edition
‘ Valerian’ star Cara Delevingne talks girl power, what’s in store
Even when saving the universe, Cara Delevingne remains a fashion maven.
In Luc Besson’s sci- fi film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets ( in theaters Friday), based on the French comic book, the British model/ actress’ galactic operative Laureline dons a variety of different outfits — cosmic desert couture, spaceship lounge chic, alien formalwear — though her favorite is some decidedly functional space armor.
“Just because of the fact I could ever say ‘ I’m in a spacesuit’ and have it be the coolest thing,” Delevingne says. “It made me feel like I was in another world.”
We checked in with the 24year- old star to find out five cool things happening with her.
SHE JOINS A SQUAD OF SUMMER HEROINES. Delevingne loves the fact that Laureline, a leading lady “constantly trying to do the right thing but not caring to speak up for what she believes,” is part of a great group of strong female characters this summer, alongside Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman and Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde. “It’s so much better to have an abundance of them than one,” Delevingne says. “I’m proud to be a woman right now.”
RIHANNA IS ONE OF HER FAVORITE CO- STARS EVER. Delevingne became fast friends with the pop star when they met five years ago, telling Rihanna that she’d be a great actress. So Delevingne was glad to share scenes in Valerian with the Grammy- winning singer, who plays shapeshifting alien Bubble. “She is hands- down the most incredible performer I’ve ever seen,” Delevingne says. “I don’t see anyone else being able to play that role. It has this beautiful, wonderful, vulnerable quality to it that she maybe doesn’t get to show as much.”
SHE SHARES SOUNDTRACK SPACE WITH ICONS. With the inclusion of her song I Feel Everything on the Valerian soundtrack, you can find Delevingne’s name after David Bowie and before Bob Marley. She wrote the tune about “when you fall in love, everything is raw and you feel everything for the first time,” and it parallels the theme of the movie: “We all need love and love will save the day.”
PREPARE FOR CARA TO GET EMOTIONAL ON SCREEN. Delevingne just finished filming on Life in a Year, in which she stars as a terminally ill girl whose boyfriend ( Jaden Smith) attempts to give her a full life in the year she has left, and the actress says it marks the most emotional character arc she’s ever played.
SADLY, THE ENCHANTRESS MAY NOT BE RETURNING. Even though Delevingne’s archaeologist June Moone survived at the end of last year’s hit Suicide Squad after being possessed by ancient witch Enchantress, she says she’s “pretty sure” she won’t be back for the expected sequel. “It was a life- changing experience and of course I’d do another one, but I don’t think it would make sense for the character.”