Fifth Element director Luc Besson’s latest sci-fi production Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets sees Rihanna take on the role of a mysterious performer working in a space brothel. A teaser clip released of the ANTI singer shows her seductively taking to the stage a la Liza Minnelli in Cabaret.

This is, according to the director, only one of 20 personas she takes up in the film. Rih will star alongside Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen and Ethan Hawke.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Besson said: “Rihanna was my first wish. First, because of her voice and the way she smiles and looks and how she expresses herself. Second, because you know she won’t be intimidated on the set. She plays stadiums with 100,000 people. You know that girl isn’t shy about the camera and the crew and all this.”

He added: “She was very direct with me. She said ‘Luc, I want to learn, I want to work. Just let me do it.’ And I must say that she was a great partner and did everything I asked and believe me – I asked too much.”

The film focuses on Valerian (DeHaan) and Laureline (Delevingne), government agents for the human territories who oversee order and peace throughout the universe. Valerian is in constant pursuit of Laureline, as they undertake a new mission from the Commander (Owen) to the galactic metropolis Alpha, home to thousands of otherworldly species, and probably Rih’s many characters.

Check out the teaser below and expect the full trailer soon.