Why Is Robbie Williams a Monkey in the Better Man Biopic?

As a seasoned gamer and movie enthusiast with a keen eye for unique storytelling, I must admit that the trailer for Better Man has left me intrigued and amused in equal measure. The decision to portray Robbie Williams as a monkey is undeniably an unconventional choice, but it’s this very audacity that piques my interest.


The long-anticipated preview for the movie titled “Better Man” has been unveiled at last. This musical drama is based on the life story of the renowned British pop singer, Robbie Williams. Fervent admirers of the musician had high expectations for the film’s engrossing narrative, but the trailer exceeded these anticipations, especially due to the unusual portrayal of Williams as a monkey. Consequently, viewers are intrigued and eager to know: Why is Robbie Williams represented as a monkey in his biopic “Better Man”?

Here is everything you need to know about this aspect of the upcoming film.

Why is Robbie Williams a monkey in the Better Man trailer and movie?

Speaking about my choice for Robbie Williams’ character in “Better Man,” I, Michael Gracey, expressed that he views himself as an entertaining simian, or simply put, he feels like a performing monkey.

The trailer for Better Man deviates from typical biographical films. Unlike traditional biopics that glorify their subjects as celebrities, this film breaks the mold by featuring a CGI monkey instead of a human lead actor. In the trailer, every scene depicting Williams is replaced with a monkey resembling those from Planet of the Apes. To explain this unusual portrayal, the pop singer starts narrating in the trailer, addressing his fans who might be puzzled by this representation.

In a surprising twist, the monkey begins to converse and identifies itself as none other than Robbie Williams. He acknowledges that people might be puzzled by a monkey claiming to be a famous pop star, but insists he truly is Robbie Williams. Despite his global stardom, Robbie expresses feelings of being “less evolved,” which sheds light on the reason for his simian portrayal in the movie.

During a chat with Deadline, the director Michael Gracey opened up about the origin of this concept. Specifically, he mentioned:

As an ardent admirer, I stumbled upon recurring sentiments in Rob’s recordings – he frequently expressed feelings of being compelled to perform, as if a performing monkey were being led around. This resonated with me so deeply that I couldn’t help but think, “What if there was a film about this? It would be captivating!” And thus, the idea for the project was born. Naturally, I had to share my vision with him, which brings us to the present day.

The movie titled “Better Man” will recount the ups and downs of Robbie Williams’ career, detailing his transformation from a young member of the famous band Take That into a successful solo pop artist. In addition to Williams, notable performances are delivered by Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, and several others in significant roles.

The movie is slated to release in December 2024 in select theaters.

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2024-10-04 08:40