Director Luc Besson has tipped Cara Delevingne for an Academy Award as he claimed that the world famous model is really a “natural born actress”.

His glowing accolade came at the European premiere for his latest sci-fi epic, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, in London’s Leicester Square on Monday.

Besson with stars Rihanna, Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan (Ian West/PA)

British catwalk star Delevingne, 24, takes a leading role as Laureline in the graphic novel adaptation, alongside Dane DeHaan as Valerian and singer Rihanna as shape-shifting alien Bubble.

The proud film-maker told the Press Association: “I tested Cara a lot and she was just perfect. I don’t think she is a model, she is a natural born actress and she will make a lot of films.”

Cara Delevingne at the premiere (Ian West/PA)

Asked if an Oscar could be in her future, he said: “Probably. She is as good as that and when you watch her in the film she is stealing the show.”

Delevingne, who arrived at the London event in a stunning bejewelled black trouser suit, described Besson as “my hero”.

Luc Besson and Virginie Besson (Ian West/PA)

Having already starred in big screen hits Anna Karenina (2012), Paper Towns (2015) and Suicide Squad (2016), she said she goes for “strong and independent female roles” when considering acting jobs.

Rihanna also told the crowd that she loved working with “focused” Delevingne, while DeHaan, who recently welcomed his first child, daughter Bowie, described his co-star as “one of the most hard-working people I have ever met”.

Dane DeHaan (Ian West/PA)

He said: “That’s why they (Delevingne and Rihanna) are able to do so many things and are so prolific. They work around the clock, they don’t stop and I’m in awe of them.”

He added: “Valerian would be nothing without Laureline and it’s cool to see a superhero movie where it isn’t just one dude saving the world.

“It’s an exciting summer for women in film.”

The movie sees the pair of space-based special agents battle everybody from military baddies to monsters, and even – as story fans will know – each other.

Asked if he ever accidentally dropped Delevingne while filming fight scenes, despite his four years of special stage combat training, he gave a guilty look and joked: “No, absolutely not… yeah.”