Rihanna, who voices Smurfette in the new Smurfs movie, has been a fan of Smurfs since she was a little kid.
When the multi-award-winning artist was growing up in Barbados, there wasn’t much for a kid to watch on television. But The Smurfs, then a popular animated TV series, was always a must-see. “So many mornings, I woke up long before I was supposed to get ready for school just to get that dose of Smurfs,” remembers Rihanna, who also serves as producer and musical contributor for this year’s Smurfs movie. “I related so much to Smurfette and what she stood for. First of all, I have always loved makeup and hair. We all know that. And she’s an esthetician. She’s also a powerful leader, independent, strong, beautiful, sassy, witty and very empathetic. I was super-inspired by all of that. I think she loves music too and her favorite genres are hip-hop, reggae, Afrobeats, ballads and house. That’s Smurfette. She needs options.”
In Smurfs, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save Papa Smurf (John Goodman), who is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe. SMURFS features an all-star voice cast including Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd, Xolo Maridueña, with Kurt Russell and John Goodman.
Director Chris Miller is also a lifelong fan of the Smurfs. “It opened my world up to the possibilities of what animation could be like,” says Miller, who was also a fan of the 1980s animated TV series as a kid. “In this film, audiences will see Smurfs in a way that no one’s ever seen before. Using the original Peyo comics as a blueprint, we’ve reinvigorated the franchise. We brought the world of the comic book into a computer-generated universe that is immersive and tactile.”
Remaining faithful to the characters created by Belgian artist and writer Peyo was always a priority. “His sense of design was iconic,” says Miller. “As a kid, I found Peyo’s original drawings instantly appealing. I felt like I recognized them even though I had never seen them before.”
As a producer, Rihanna felt fortunate to have met Peyo’s family during the film’s development, a highlight of the experience for her. “They’re so invested,” she says. “They were an important part of the entire process. We just want to make everyone proud and introduce a new generation to Smurfs. We are super excited to take the audiences with us on a magical journey into the amazing world of Smurfs. This is a huge movie about the smallest heroes in the universe. It’s a big-time adventure with action, music, laughter and the cutest daredevils you’ve ever seen.”
Don’t forget to sing a happy song and watch Smurfs, distributed by Paramount Pictures, opening only in cinemas July 16. Join the conversation and use #SmurfsMovie