Robbie Williams Biopic ‘Better Man’ Features a Singing Monkey as Lead in Musical from ‘Greatest Showman’ Director

Better Man," directed by Michael Gracey, presents an innovative portrayal of British pop icon Robbie Williams, casting him as a CGI monkey throughout the film. This unconventional choice is reflective of Williams' own self-described persona during tumultuous periods of his career, where he likened himself to a "performing monkey" By employing this unique visual approach, Gracey aims to encapsulate the complexities and challenges faced by Williams in a manner that traditional biopics often fail to achieve.

In the first trailer for Better Man, the pop star, 50, is visually portrayed as a monkey by actor Jonno Davies in director Michael Gracey's (The Greatest Showman) take on Williams' life story. Davies, 32, performed the motion-capture required for the role and voices the character, while Williams himself sings in the upcoming musical.

Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time," reads a synopsis.

    Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes. Jonno Davies plays the monkey version of Williams.

The new film makes for director Gracey's first movie since his 2021 Pink documentary P!nk: All I Know So Far. In addition to that and 2017's The Greatest Showman, he is also known for directing music videos for Pink and musicians like Natasha Bedingfield and Alesha Dixon.

In addition to Davies in his CGI role, Better Man also stars Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes.

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Sarah H

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