Damon Herriman, Kate Mulvany, and Anthony Hayes lead the Australian cast of Michael Gracey’s Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, currently filming in Melbourne.
Announced at the end of last year, the project is set to offer an introspective look at the rise, fall, and resurrection of Williams, one of the best-selling artists of all time.
The singer will make his feature film debut in the film, as he stars as himself alongside rising star UK star Jonno Davies (Kingsman: The Secret Service), who plays a younger version of Williams.
British stage and screen veterans Steve Pemberton (Killing Eve) and Alison Steadman (The Kings Man) also join Herriman, Mulvany, and Hayes in the cast. It is not yet known what roles they will take.
From his humble upbringing in Stoke-On-Trent, England, Williams was catapulted to fame in the early nineties as a founding member of the boy band, Take That. The singer found further success as a solo artist, with 11 out of 12 of his studio albums charting number one in the UK.
Gracey, who is both co-writer and director of the film, will chart the incredible highs and lows of his journey by satirizing moments inspired by the artist’s life story.
The musical feature will encompass reimagined versions of Williams’ hit music, dancing, and concert sets, with Weta FX set to provide visual effects. Footage from the singer’s two recent concerts at Rod Laver Arena is set to be used for the project, which is about halfway through its eight-week shoot.
Better Man has received support from VicScreen’s Victorian Screen Incentive and is claiming the Producer Offset.
The production is expected to inject up to $107 million into the Victorian economy and create around 2,200 local jobs, including 14 local heads of department, 80 visual effects practitioners, and 220 crew.
International sales are being handled by Rocket Science, with Roadshow Films to manage distribution in Australia and New Zealand.