Can we all just take a moment to imagine what it would be like to work alongside Rihanna [1]? Exciting, nerve-racking, and fun are all adjectives that immediately come to mind; however, only a select few actually know what it's like. Spoiler alert: it's as amazing as it sounds! Rihanna stars as Nine Ball [2] in the new Ocean's 8 reboot [3], and her costars cannot stop raving about her. Anne Hathaway [4], Sarah Paulson, Cate Blanchett [5], Mindy Kaling, and Helena Bonham Carter have had nothing but nice things to say about Rihanna, and to be honest, we're kind of jealous. Ahead, take a look at some of the sweetest things the cast has said about RiRi.
Sandra Bullock
- On fighting to get Rihanna's attention [7]: "We all secretly wanted to be her favourite. We would be really relaxed and tired in the room, and then she'd walk in the room and all of a sudden we'd be like, 'So Rihanna [8], Rihanna . . .' that was basically how we became . . . she's a genius."
Sarah Paulson
- On what it was like working with Rihanna [9]: "It was sort of a daily struggle to not embarrass myself because every time I looked at her, I was like, 'Work, work, work.' It was not good, and I'm not a singer . . . Sandy [Sandra Bullock [10]] would just constantly look at me and be like, 'Hey, dial it down. Just stop.'"
- On Sarah's "low-level, supercool, chill obsession" with her [11]: "I got a text message from Rihanna [12]. She sent me, like, a crying-laughing emoji congratulating me on winning the Golden Globe, and I was like, 'Rihanna is not going to send an emoji.' And then I went to set the next day, and she was like, 'Yes, that was me.' I thought, 'I can't believe she texted me.'"
Cate Blanchett
- On how Rihanna is as an actress [13]: "Oh, she's honestly great! She's really open and humble, and she's got a great sense of humour. She's got a really dry wit about her. And she's really relaxed and natural."
Mindy Kaling
- On what it was like working with Rihanna [14]: "She was amazing, and I'm so intimidated of her because I feel like movie stars are here and pop stars are here. They can do whatever they want and no one thinks it's crazy or weird. So when I met Rihanna [15], I was like, "Hi, Rihanna [16]! It's great to meet you.' And, like, on the third day, I'd go up to Rihanna and be like, 'Hey, Rihanna; it's Mindy Kaling,' and she's like, 'I know; we're in a movie together.' She remembers my name, I think, so I think we're good friends."
- On wanting to smoke weed with her [17]: "Rihanna is pretty cool to work with. I feel like she might enjoy that with me."
Helena Bonham Carter
- On having Rihanna by her side [18] if she were ever to pull off a real-life heist: "She would be a good distraction. You take her anywhere and all the attention goes to her. You can do anything."
Anne Hathaway
- On Rihanna boosting her self-confidence [19]: "After I had my son, the weight was really slow to come off . . . and Rihanna [20] goes, 'Damn, girl! You got an ass!' I, of course, was freaked out and loved it so much and was like, 'Really?' And she goes, 'You got an ass like me.' I can honestly say I've never had that experience on a filmset before."
- On Rihanna being the most likely to make your jaw [21] hit the floor: "I mean that because we'd all be having a conversation, and Rihanna would be sitting there, and she's super chill. We would have exhausted the topic, we thought, and then Rihanna would lean forward and explain it, and it was just wisdom and perspective, and it was fun and funny. Rihanna probably gets real-life mic drop."