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Robbie Williams is British pop royalty, and he was hoping to score a worldwide hit with his recent biopic Better Man.
Robbie’s movie may not have been a box office smash, but steadily drumming up global word of mouth, even from people who have never heard of Take That. While the film is a traditional biopic in that it tells the singer’s life story, it also comes with one very bizarre caveat.
Instead of an actor playing Robbie (or the man even playing himself), the singer is portrayed as a CGI anthropomorphic chimpanzee, making it seem more like a Planet of the Apes film rather than Walk the Line.
Robbie does use his voice in the movie, but the monkey was performed by Jonno Davies, using a motion capture suit. Jonno also does some voice work for the film.
Before you catch Robbie in Better Man, there are plenty of key facts you should know about him going in.
Robbie Williams Was a Member of the Boy Band Take That
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Robbie began his career as a performer in school plays. In 1990, he joined the boy band Take That, when he was 16 years old.
Robbie sang the lead on many of the group’s early hits, like “Could It Be Heaven” and “I Found Heaven.” As the group skyrocketed to fame, Robbie’s drug use created rifts within the band, and he left in 1995.
After leaving the group, Robbie pursued a very successful solo career, but he did rejoin Take That in 2010 for their album Progress. He toured with the band in 2011, and he’s made multiple appearances at shows over the years.
Despite rejoining the band, Robbie has not performed on any of the three Take That albums that followed 2010’s Progress.
Robbie Williams Has Released 12 Solo Albums
After leaving Take That in the 90s, Robbie kicked off a solo career by covering “Freedom” by George Michael. In September 1997, he released his debut solo album Life Thru a Lens.
Since going solo, Robbie has released an impressive 12 albums, with his most recent being 2019’s The Christmas Present. Many of his records have been certified hits, and he’s become one of the best-selling artists of all time.
While Robbie may not be a total household name in the United States, he is a genuine star across the globe. In 2006, he broke the Guinness World Record for most tickets sold in a day for his world tour, but that record has since been broken by Taylor Swift, via ABC News.
Robbie has been an incredible success in the UK. He is credited with four out of the 60 top-selling albums of all-time in the UK, according to Official Charts. That includes both solo albums and Take That records.
Robbie has also won 18 Brit Awards, making him the person with the most of those accolades. As for American awards, he’s been nominated for two Grammys, but he didn’t win either.
He Was a Judge on ‘The X Factor’
