Robbie Williams choked up on stage after his upcoming film, Better Man was well received at the premiere.
The new biopic has grabbed headlines – and confused fans – over persistent reports that the chart-topping singer will be played by a CGI monkey, naturally.
Now, the film has been shown to the first audience at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), it can also be fully confirmed.
And critics seem to be happy with the unusual choice and film, as Robbie, 50, got to see (and hear) it for himself while promoting it with director Michael Gracey.
When asked if he felt he had ‘turned on’ the difficult parts of his life after seeing them on screen in an onstage Q&A at the gala premiere, the former Take That star – dressed in a trendy pinstripe suit – said he was ‘going through it now. now’.
“I’m in the middle of an incredible feeling,” he told the audience in a video shared by Brandon Lewis on X.
‘This is the fourth time I’ve watched it and it’s a different experience…’ the Angels singer continued, before pausing as she was overcome with emotion and held her hand over her mouth.
As Robbie took time to compose himself, the audience cheered and clapped and showed him their love.
‘It’s about crying that feels like it won’t stop once it starts,’ he admits, before cheekily adding as he wipes his eyes: ‘And I’ve got a film to sell!’
After he quipped that Paramount would be pleased with how he was publicizing the film, the words seemed to fail Robbie teary again, leading to more claps and whoops of encouragement.
The Millennium hitmaker later reassured fans that it was ‘nothing wrong’ as he was ‘enjoying an amazing experience’.
‘I know I have to say the word,’ he added, before asking the question to be forwarded to The Greatest Showman filmmaker Gracey or actor Jonno Davies – who portrays the monkey Robbie – instead.
Better Man has proved a hot ticket at the festival so far, with The Guardian describing it as a ‘bananas gamble that paid off’ in a four-star review.
“It’s a movie that’s on the verge of falling apart but you’d be surprised how it holds together,” said critic Benjamin Lee.
‘It was the equivalent of casting Lassie to play Frank Sinatra. OK, maybe not crazy, but pretty close,” said Deadline. ‘So guess what? It actually works.’
Elsewhere, Better Man’s musical number was called ‘masterful’, while The Hollywood Reporter called it ‘a wild, energetic head-scratcher’ with the potential to be a ‘camp classic’.
Even Williams herself admitted that the main miracle of the monkey casting was ‘weird’ in a clip on social media when she appeared at the screening.
‘A monkey, isn’t it? You can be honest with me, this is my focus group right now. First 10 minutes, raise your hand if it’s weird?’ he asked the crowd as he made a show of counting people.
The pop star also revealed that she was sold on Gracey’s plans almost immediately.
‘Before he finished his sentence I was onboard, totally onboard. Yes, that’s the answer.’
‘It works, right? Not everything has to make sense now, does it?’ he added.
Better Man is scheduled to hit UK cinemas on Thursday, December 26.
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