Robbie Williams is set to portray his life story in a biopic that features a unique twist: rather than appearing as himself, he will provide the singing voice for a CGI monkey.
The teaser trailer for “Better Man” was released on Tuesday, promoting the film as the “true story” of Williams’ life and career, albeit through a primate’s perspective. In the trailer, Williams narrates, “I’m Robbie Williams. I’m one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But I’ve always seen myself a little less… evolved.”
The character of the monkey is primarily voiced and motion-captured by actor Jonno Davies, with Williams contributing his vocal talents for the singing parts.
Paramount Pictures described “Better Man” as a depiction of the dramatic highs and lows of Robbie Williams, who is considered one of the greatest entertainers. The film presents his life journey from childhood and being the youngest member of the popular boyband Take That to his achievements as a record-breaking solo artist, while also addressing the challenges of fame.
In a recent featurette accompanying the teaser, Williams and director Michael Gracey elaborated on the unconventional choice to portray Williams’ life through a monkey. Gracey explained that he asked Williams how he would view himself if he were an animal, recalling that Williams had previously likened being brought on stage to perform to a monkey. He believed this approach would allow audiences to connect with Williams in a more engaging way than a traditional musical biopic.
“Better Man” is scheduled for a limited release in the U.S. on Christmas Day, followed by a wider release on January 17.