Robbie Williams has revealed why he's being portrayed as a chimpanzee in his upcoming biopic Better Man.
The unique new movie tells the iconic star's story with the use of a motion capture chimp, and the star explained in a new interview that he is drawn to "eccentricity".
"Jonno Davies is the actor behind the CGI chimpanzee, me, who does a remarkable, incredible job," Williams said on The One Show. "Why was that? I dunno, it was in [director Michael Gracey's] head.
Related: Best movie box sets to buy
"I love eccentricity, and I love unusual, and I love surreal. And it made complete sense to me as soon as he pitched it to me," the singer added.
"I don't know if this film would be as talked-about if it hadn't had the monkey in it, and it does, and it has. And it all makes sense when you see it."
What to Read Next
The star previously said in the movie's trailer that he wants to show "the real Robbie Williams" and uses a chimpanzee because he's always seen himself as "less evolved".
Gracey told Deadline in 2021 that he wanted to tell a "fantastical story" with the movie and "represent it in its harsh reality all the way to these moments of pure fantasy".
Related: Lauren Laverne returns to The One Show after cancer treatment
"Unlike some people who were born prodigies or geniuses and you follow the narrative of the world catching up to their brilliance, this isn't that story," he added.
"Robbie is that Everyman, who just dreamed big and followed those dreams and they took him to an incredible place. Because of that, his [story] is an incredibly relatable [one]. He's not the best singer, or dancer, and yet, he managed to sell 80 million records worldwide."
Better Man also stars Inside No 9's Steve Pemberton, Gavin & Stacey's Alison Steadman, Mindhunter's Damon Herriman and Home & Away's Raechelle Banno.
Better Man will be released in cinemas on December 26.
Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
