Rihanna steps into the role of Smurfette in Paramount Pictures' upcoming animated feature Smurfs, lending both her voice and musical talent to the project. The singer's cover of "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" anchors the film's first trailer, released this week.
The story follows Smurfette and her fellow blue companions on an urgent mission after Papa Smurf disappears. Their search takes them beyond Smurf Village and into the human world, marking a departure from their familiar forest setting.
During the film's development, Rihanna took on multiple roles behind the scenes as producer and songwriter. At CinemaCon 2023, she shared a lighthearted moment about attempting to claim Papa Smurf's role before landing Smurfette.
The cast includes established actors John Goodman, Natasha Lyonne, Nick Offerman, and Octavia Spencer, with Sandra Oh, Amy Sedaris, Nick Kroll, and Kurt Russell rounding out the ensemble. Chris Miller and Matt Landon direct the film.
The musical elements blend Rihanna's existing catalog, including "Don't Stop the Music", with new material created specifically for the film. Her rendition of Belinda Carlisle's 1987 track provides a fresh interpretation of the classic song.
Smurfs arrives in theaters July 18. Watch the trailer above.
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Maya Torelli
Straddling the worlds of art and communication, this creative professional established People in 2009, a content agency specializing in the fusion of words and visuals. Over the years, her work has spanned a variety of projects, including magazines and documentary films. Beyond her commercial endeavors, she dedicates herself to exploring the nature of imagery, with a particular focus on its interplay with other media forms, especially music. Her passion for music not only fuels her writing but also deeply influences her work as a filmmaker, shaping both her documentaries and video installations. With a voracious appetite for knowledge across philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and various scientific disciplines, she weaves these diverse interests into a unique, interdisciplinary approach to content creation, perspective-taking, and writing.