Rihanna has released four video albums and appeared in 62 music videos, 12 films, 13 television programs, and several television commercials. In 2005, Rihanna signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings and released her debut single " Pon de Replay", taken from her first studio album Music of the Sun (2005). [1] Like its lyrical theme, the music video for the song was inspired by disco and dance; [2] it was directed by Little X. [3] Three separate videos were released for " SOS", the lead single from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006), all of which contained various dance sequences. [4] The same year, American director Anthony Mandler directed the accompanying music video for the second single " Unfaithful", which featured Rihanna in a dangerous love triangle with her lover and her husband. [4] "Unfaithful" was Rihanna's first collaboration with Mandler; they later worked together regularly. [5] Also in 2006, Rihanna played herself in the third installment of the Bring It On film series, entitled Bring It On: All or Nothing. [6]
The music video for " Umbrella", the lead single from her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), was directed by Chris Applebaum and featured scenes of Rihanna naked and covered in silver paint. [7] It won the Video of the Year accolade at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. [8] Seven more singles, accompanied with separate music videos directed by Mandler, were released from the album. Rihanna flew to Europe to shoot the music videos for the 2007 singles " Shut Up and Drive" and " Don't Stop the Music" in Prague. [9] [10] " Russian Roulette", the lead single from Rihanna's fourth studio album Rated R (2009), featured a cameo appearance by American actor and model Jesse Williams. [11] The music video for the second single, " Hard", was directed by Melina Matsoukas, who also directed the videos for Rihanna's 2010 singles, " Rude Boy" and " Rockstar 101". [12] [13] [14] The same year, Rihanna provided vocals for Eminem's " Love the Way You Lie". The song's accompanying music video features actors Dominic Monaghan and Megan Fox in a love-hate relationship while Eminem and Rihanna perform in front of a burning house. [15] In 2010, Rihanna also filmed the scenes for her second film appearance in Battleship, which was released in April 2012. [16]
In 2011, three of Rihanna's videos met with criticism and controversy. The Matsoukas-directed music video for " S&M" ( Loud, 2010) faced a lawsuit from American photographer David LaChapelle [17] and was banned in eleven countries due to its sexual content. [18] The Parents Television Council (PTC) criticized Rihanna for her "cold, calculated execution of murder" in the video for her 2011 single " Man Down". [19] In September 2011, Rihanna released " We Found Love", the lead single from her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk; its music video caused controversy from some activist groups, including The Rape Crisis Centre in the UK. [20] Christian youth pastors and the Ulster Cancer Foundation also criticized the video for Rihanna's portrayal of sexual intercourse while under the influence of illegal drugs, not being a role model to young girls and women and for smoking in the video. [21] [22] Despite the criticism, the video won the awards for Video of the Year at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. [23] Mandler directed the video for " Diamonds", the lead single from Rihanna's seventh studio album Unapologetic. [24] It depicts Rihanna in four environments that represent the elements of earth, air, water and fire.
Title | Performer(s) | Director(s) | Album | Year | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Like That" |
Memphis Bleek Swizz Beatz |
R. Malcolm Jones | 534 | 2006 |
[91] [92] |
" Paranoid" |
Kanye West Mr Hudson |
Nabil Elderkin | 808s & Heartbreak | 2009 |
[93] [94] |
" Can't Get Enough" |
J. Cole Trey Songz |
Clifton Bell | Cole World: The Sideline Story | 2011 |
[95] [96] |
" Fashion Killa" | A$AP Rocky | A$AP Rocky, Virgil Abloh | Long. Live. ASAP | 2013 | [97] |
" Gangstas Don't Live That Long" | Snoop Dogg | Dah Dah | That's My Work Volume 3 | 2014 |
[98] [99] |
" Plain Jane" | A$AP Ferg | Hidji | Still Striving | 2017 |
[100] [101] |
" D.M.B." | A$AP Rocky | A$AP Rocky | Don't Be Dumb | 2022 | [102] |
Title | Album details | Certifications |
---|---|---|
Good Girl Gone Bad Live |
|
|
Good Girl Gone Bad: The Videos [105] |
|
|
Loud Tour Live at the O2 |
|
|
Rihanna 777 Documentary... 7Countries7Days7Shows |
|
Film | Year | Director | Character | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bring It On: All or Nothing | 2006 | Steve Rash [107] | Herself [6] | Cameo appearance |
Battleship | 2012 | Peter Berg [108] | Petty Officer Cora Raikes [109] | Rihanna stars in the film as a weapons specialist aboard a navy ship who fights aliens on the coast of Hawaii. [110] |
Katy Perry: Part of Me | Dan Cutforth & Jane Lipsitz [111] | Herself [112] | Cameo appearance [112] | |
Live 2012 | Paul Dugdale [113] | Herself | Cameo appearance | |
This Is the End | 2013 | Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen | Herself | The comedy action film features several celebrities attending a party at James Franco's house, while The Apocalypse breaks out.[ citation needed] |
Annie | 2014 | Will Gluck | Moon Goddess | Cameo appearance |
Home | 2015 | Tim Johnson [114] | Gratuity “Tip” Tucci [115] | An animated film based on the book The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. The film features friendly aliens invading the Earth and using it as a hideout from their enemies. [114] Voice role |
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping | 2016 | Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone | Herself | Cameo appearance |
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets | 2017 | Luc Besson [116] | Bubble [116] | The film is based on a French graphic novel set in the 28th century. [116] |
Ocean's 8 | 2018 | Gary Ross | Nine Ball | The film is both a continuation and a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's trilogy and features an all-female ensemble cast. |
Guava Island | 2019 | Hiro Murai | Kofi | Lead role in Amazon Studios film, produced by Childish Gambino and marketed through his set at Coachella Festival in 2019 |
Untitled Smurfs musical film | 2025 | TBA | Smurfette | Main role, voice role, also producer |
Television show | Year | Character | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Las Vegas | 2005 | Herself | "The Real McCoy" (season 3: episode 6) [117] |
My Super Sweet 16 | 2006 | "Darnell" (season 3: episode 7) [118] | |
All My Children | (episode of July 25) [119] | ||
Punk'd | (season 7: episode 8) [120] | ||
Saturday Night Live | 2009 2010 2012 2015 |
"Blake Lively/Rihanna" (season 35: episode 8)
[121] "Jon Hamm/Rihanna" (season 36: episode 5) "Eli Manning/Rihanna" (season 37: episode 20) [122] "Anne Hathaway/Rihanna" (season 38: episode 7) "Louis C.K./Rihanna" (season 40: episode 21) [123] | |
Chelsea Lately | 2011 | (episode of March 10) [124] | |
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | "The Jubilee House/Marshall Family" (season 9: episode 1) [125] | ||
The X Factor | Guest judge (season 1, episodes 7, 8 and 9) [126] | ||
Styled to Rock [127] | 2012 | Executive producer [127] | |
Oprah's Next Chapter [128] | "Rihanna" (season 2: episode 1) [128] | ||
Styled to Rock | 2013 | Executive producer | |
The Voice | 2015 | Contestant mentor (The Knockouts round; season 9) | |
Bates Motel | 2017 | Marion Crane | Recurring role (season 5) |
Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons | 2022 | Herself | Episode: "Part Three: Tarnished Angels" (archive footage); Television documentary series [129] |
Power Book II: Ghost | 2023 | Episode: "Land of Lies" (archive footage) |
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Rihanna has released four video albums and appeared in 62 music videos, 12 films, 13 television programs, and several television commercials. In 2005, Rihanna signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings and released her debut single " Pon de Replay", taken from her first studio album Music of the Sun (2005). [1] Like its lyrical theme, the music video for the song was inspired by disco and dance; [2] it was directed by Little X. [3] Three separate videos were released for " SOS", the lead single from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006), all of which contained various dance sequences. [4] The same year, American director Anthony Mandler directed the accompanying music video for the second single " Unfaithful", which featured Rihanna in a dangerous love triangle with her lover and her husband. [4] "Unfaithful" was Rihanna's first collaboration with Mandler; they later worked together regularly. [5] Also in 2006, Rihanna played herself in the third installment of the Bring It On film series, entitled Bring It On: All or Nothing. [6]
The music video for " Umbrella", the lead single from her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), was directed by Chris Applebaum and featured scenes of Rihanna naked and covered in silver paint. [7] It won the Video of the Year accolade at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. [8] Seven more singles, accompanied with separate music videos directed by Mandler, were released from the album. Rihanna flew to Europe to shoot the music videos for the 2007 singles " Shut Up and Drive" and " Don't Stop the Music" in Prague. [9] [10] " Russian Roulette", the lead single from Rihanna's fourth studio album Rated R (2009), featured a cameo appearance by American actor and model Jesse Williams. [11] The music video for the second single, " Hard", was directed by Melina Matsoukas, who also directed the videos for Rihanna's 2010 singles, " Rude Boy" and " Rockstar 101". [12] [13] [14] The same year, Rihanna provided vocals for Eminem's " Love the Way You Lie". The song's accompanying music video features actors Dominic Monaghan and Megan Fox in a love-hate relationship while Eminem and Rihanna perform in front of a burning house. [15] In 2010, Rihanna also filmed the scenes for her second film appearance in Battleship, which was released in April 2012. [16]
In 2011, three of Rihanna's videos met with criticism and controversy. The Matsoukas-directed music video for " S&M" ( Loud, 2010) faced a lawsuit from American photographer David LaChapelle [17] and was banned in eleven countries due to its sexual content. [18] The Parents Television Council (PTC) criticized Rihanna for her "cold, calculated execution of murder" in the video for her 2011 single " Man Down". [19] In September 2011, Rihanna released " We Found Love", the lead single from her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk; its music video caused controversy from some activist groups, including The Rape Crisis Centre in the UK. [20] Christian youth pastors and the Ulster Cancer Foundation also criticized the video for Rihanna's portrayal of sexual intercourse while under the influence of illegal drugs, not being a role model to young girls and women and for smoking in the video. [21] [22] Despite the criticism, the video won the awards for Video of the Year at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. [23] Mandler directed the video for " Diamonds", the lead single from Rihanna's seventh studio album Unapologetic. [24] It depicts Rihanna in four environments that represent the elements of earth, air, water and fire.
Title | Performer(s) | Director(s) | Album | Year | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Like That" |
Memphis Bleek Swizz Beatz |
R. Malcolm Jones | 534 | 2006 |
[91] [92] |
" Paranoid" |
Kanye West Mr Hudson |
Nabil Elderkin | 808s & Heartbreak | 2009 |
[93] [94] |
" Can't Get Enough" |
J. Cole Trey Songz |
Clifton Bell | Cole World: The Sideline Story | 2011 |
[95] [96] |
" Fashion Killa" | A$AP Rocky | A$AP Rocky, Virgil Abloh | Long. Live. ASAP | 2013 | [97] |
" Gangstas Don't Live That Long" | Snoop Dogg | Dah Dah | That's My Work Volume 3 | 2014 |
[98] [99] |
" Plain Jane" | A$AP Ferg | Hidji | Still Striving | 2017 |
[100] [101] |
" D.M.B." | A$AP Rocky | A$AP Rocky | Don't Be Dumb | 2022 | [102] |
Title | Album details | Certifications |
---|---|---|
Good Girl Gone Bad Live |
|
|
Good Girl Gone Bad: The Videos [105] |
|
|
Loud Tour Live at the O2 |
|
|
Rihanna 777 Documentary... 7Countries7Days7Shows |
|
Film | Year | Director | Character | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bring It On: All or Nothing | 2006 | Steve Rash [107] | Herself [6] | Cameo appearance |
Battleship | 2012 | Peter Berg [108] | Petty Officer Cora Raikes [109] | Rihanna stars in the film as a weapons specialist aboard a navy ship who fights aliens on the coast of Hawaii. [110] |
Katy Perry: Part of Me | Dan Cutforth & Jane Lipsitz [111] | Herself [112] | Cameo appearance [112] | |
Live 2012 | Paul Dugdale [113] | Herself | Cameo appearance | |
This Is the End | 2013 | Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen | Herself | The comedy action film features several celebrities attending a party at James Franco's house, while The Apocalypse breaks out.[ citation needed] |
Annie | 2014 | Will Gluck | Moon Goddess | Cameo appearance |
Home | 2015 | Tim Johnson [114] | Gratuity “Tip” Tucci [115] | An animated film based on the book The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. The film features friendly aliens invading the Earth and using it as a hideout from their enemies. [114] Voice role |
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping | 2016 | Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone | Herself | Cameo appearance |
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets | 2017 | Luc Besson [116] | Bubble [116] | The film is based on a French graphic novel set in the 28th century. [116] |
Ocean's 8 | 2018 | Gary Ross | Nine Ball | The film is both a continuation and a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's trilogy and features an all-female ensemble cast. |
Guava Island | 2019 | Hiro Murai | Kofi | Lead role in Amazon Studios film, produced by Childish Gambino and marketed through his set at Coachella Festival in 2019 |
Untitled Smurfs musical film | 2025 | TBA | Smurfette | Main role, voice role, also producer |
Television show | Year | Character | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Las Vegas | 2005 | Herself | "The Real McCoy" (season 3: episode 6) [117] |
My Super Sweet 16 | 2006 | "Darnell" (season 3: episode 7) [118] | |
All My Children | (episode of July 25) [119] | ||
Punk'd | (season 7: episode 8) [120] | ||
Saturday Night Live | 2009 2010 2012 2015 |
"Blake Lively/Rihanna" (season 35: episode 8)
[121] "Jon Hamm/Rihanna" (season 36: episode 5) "Eli Manning/Rihanna" (season 37: episode 20) [122] "Anne Hathaway/Rihanna" (season 38: episode 7) "Louis C.K./Rihanna" (season 40: episode 21) [123] | |
Chelsea Lately | 2011 | (episode of March 10) [124] | |
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | "The Jubilee House/Marshall Family" (season 9: episode 1) [125] | ||
The X Factor | Guest judge (season 1, episodes 7, 8 and 9) [126] | ||
Styled to Rock [127] | 2012 | Executive producer [127] | |
Oprah's Next Chapter [128] | "Rihanna" (season 2: episode 1) [128] | ||
Styled to Rock | 2013 | Executive producer | |
The Voice | 2015 | Contestant mentor (The Knockouts round; season 9) | |
Bates Motel | 2017 | Marion Crane | Recurring role (season 5) |
Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons | 2022 | Herself | Episode: "Part Three: Tarnished Angels" (archive footage); Television documentary series [129] |
Power Book II: Ghost | 2023 | Episode: "Land of Lies" (archive footage) |
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