Singer Robbie Williams has praised his portrayal as a chimpanzee in the new film “Better Man” directed by Michael Gracey. The movie, which opens in theaters on Friday, tells the story of Williams’ life and career, but with a twist: he is depicted as a monkey.
Williams says he was initially obsessed with the idea of being portrayed as a chimp, saying, “I’m just like a performing monkey.” He credits Gracey for not cutting any part of his life from the film, even the more unscrupulous parts.
The chimpanzee symbolizing Williams is played by Jonno Davies, who spent months perfecting his performance using performance capture markers and computer-generated images. Davies studied videos of Williams and grew up with his aura in pop culture to capture his essence.
Williams says he loves the idea of being a monkey because it allows him to fill space like he does when he enters a room. The film’s most spectacular segment, a roving romp through London’s Regent Street set to “Rock DJ,” took over a year and a half to plan and rehearse with 500 dancers.
Williams is aware that his fame in the US has been difficult to conquer, but he says he plans to promote “Better Man” extensively. He also recently finished a new album featuring Tony Iommi and Glenn Hughes, but hasn’t announced a release date yet.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/01/10/robbie-williams-better-man-interview/77553728007