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‘How I became Robbie Williams’ chimpanzee’The Bedford boy playing Robbie Williams as a chimp Robbie Williams on why he’s played by a chimp in new film Robbie Williams gigs were the ‘best I’ve ever seen’Robbie Williams bares his soul in support of artist How children changed Robbie Williams Boy meets Robbie Williams after starring in biopic

‘How I became Robbie Williams’ chimpanzee’

Actor Jonno Davies was described as a “fantastic human being” by his childhood hero, Robbie Williams

Getty Images Robbie Williams has a huge smile and his arm around Jonno Davies who is also smiling. Both smartly dressed at a premiere event for Better Man. — Actor Jonno Davies was described as a “fantastic human being” by his childhood hero, Robbie Williams

It’s 2001 and nine-year-old Jonno Davies is standing in the crowd as Robbie Williams entertains 65,000 people at the Milton Keynes Bowl.

“He was just this symbol of cool, and that stuck with me for a long time… He was like the rock star of the day for me,” he recalls.

Now 32, Davies is appearing in cinemas around the world in Better Man, a musical biopic in which he plays his childhood hero.

But he is far from recognisable, partly because of his hard work studying and recreating William’s voice and mannerisms, but mostly because he’s represented on screen as a computer-generated chimpanzee.

“I am the lead. I am Rob. Rob is me. Just with a monkey layering on top,” he explains.

Davies plays Robbie Williams on screen as a chimpanzee from the age of 15 onwards

Entertainment A close up of a CGI chimpanzee wearing a t-shirt and a hooded top stood in front of some large windows with sunlight pouring through. He looks sad. — Davies plays Robbie Williams on screen as a chimpanzee from the age of 15 onwards

Director Michael Gracey, who previously made The Greatest Showman, says the decision was inspired by conversations with Robbie Williams where he described himself as a performing monkey.

On set, Davies was dressed in a performance capture suit, and later he was transformed into a primate by Weta FX – the same company behind Gollum in Lord of the Rings.

Davies says: “I play Rob from the age of 15 right the way through to the end of the film… It’s full body, voice, dancing – the whole shebang.”

Davies provides the motion capture for Better Man, similar to the recent Planet of the Apes films

Entertainment The actor Jonno Davies wearing the CGI equipment needed to play Robbie Williams in Better Man — Davies provides the motion capture for Better Man, similar to the recent Planet of the Apes films

He adds: “I feel the audience aren’t watching it going: Do I believe that’s him? Does that look enough like Robbie? Does that sound like Robbie? Because there’s a monkey, we’ve already gone beyond that idea of comparison.

“It meant I didn’t have to be vain. I wasn’t looking at the monitor going ‘Oh god, the double chin’… It was just about being truthful to the storyline.”

That said the actor says his face can be seen for a “tiny split second” at the very end of the film: “Kudos to anyone that actually sees that.”

While Davies is portraying a CGI chimpanzee, everybody else in the film remains human

Entertainment A human-sized chimpanzee wearing a suit is ballroom dancing with a woman on a lower level of yacht with a party upstairs at night time. — While Davies is portraying a CGI chimpanzee, everybody else in the film remains human

The Chesterfield-born actor was cast as the Angels singer about a week before production was due to begin.

Actor Kate Mulvany, who plays Williams’ mother Jane, suggested Davies after having worked with him on the Amazon Prime series Hunters.

When The Greatest Showman director phoned Davies inviting him to audition, the actor was working a “side hustle” performing at children’s parties as PT Barnum – Hugh Jackman’s character from the film.

He recalls: “I was kind of going ‘Okay, this is a weird but wonderful turn of events'”.

Auditions took place in front of director Michael Gracey (middle) where he ran scenes with Raechelle Banno (left) who plays Nicole Appleton

Getty Images Raechelle Banno is dressed in a white dress, Michael Gracey has a black blazer over a t-shirt and Jonno has a silk shirt. They are at a premiere event for Better Man. — Auditions took place in front of director Michael Gracey (middle) where he ran scenes with Raechelle Banno (left) who plays Nicole Appleton

Auditions took place in Australia, where he ran scenes with Raechelle Banno who plays All Saints singer Nicole Appleton in the film.

He recalls: “I thought I mucked it up. Then a few hours later [Gracey] called me into his office and he said ‘look we’d love you to play Robbie’.

“You know, you dream of these roles. You dream to lead productions like this, to be in such huge scale films. But as soon as that penny drops, and you know that you are actually the one to do it, there’s a sense of pressure.

“They’re gonna actually find out that I’m rubbish. And all this time I’ve just been sort of lucking through it. And that’s actually something that Rob feels a lot. And so, it was a really useful connection for me to have.”

Jonno saw Robbie Williams perform at Milton Keynes Bowl in 2001

Getty Images Robbie Williams singing on stage in 2001 at Milton Keynes Bowl. He has blonde highlights in his dark hair and is holding the microphone as he sings into it. — Jonno saw Robbie Williams perform at Milton Keynes Bowl in 2001

In 2022, Davies is rehearsing for a scene on stage at the Royal Albert Hall when Williams, who he has not met yet, is in the audience.

“I was about to sing and in he steps, plonks himself in the middle of the front row,” the actor says.

“Wow that’s Robbie Williams, that’s who I’m playing, don’t mess it up. I probably did because voice was going and knees were buckling.”

He didn’t mess it up. Not according to Williams himself who describes the performer as a “fantastic human being”.

The musician says: “He’s such a lovely person, and he’s immensely talented. Watching him do his thing – which is my thing – was very interesting, confusing, wonderful, and a weird thing to watch. He’s amazing.”

Scenes in the film recreate Robbie William’s 2003 performances in Knebworth, Hertfordshire

Entertainment A close up of the chimpanzee Robbie Williams in Better Man wearing a white tie like the singer did during his shows at Knebworth 2003. — Scenes in the film recreate Robbie William’s 2003 performances in Knebworth, Hertfordshire

Davies, who grew up in Milton Keynes, attended Bedford School between 2001 and 2010.

While attending he took part in musical productions of Bugsy Malone, Fiddler on the Roof and History Boys.

He says: “If it wasn’t for Bedford School, I don’t think I would’ve become an actor.

“I was applying for university and our head of drama approached me and said ‘I don’t think this is what you want to be, you want to be an actor’.

“Having somebody say that really made me think it might be a possibility… I think a lot of people had that support, it wasn’t just a one off.”

Davies has made return visits to Bedford School to teach students acting techniques

Bedford School Jonno is on a stage at Bedford School gesturing. He is teaching a group of children stood behind him acting techniques. — Davies has made return visits to Bedford School to teach students acting techniques

Now the actor’s name is on one of the seats at the school’s theatre and he likes to return to visit the pupils.

“Anything I feel that I can learn I’d love to pass on to them,” he says.

“Maybe we can do like a motion capture day somehow. Do some animal studies, as it were.”

Jonno says the films shows a side of Robbie Williams “that’s vulnerable and is scared of fame”

Getty Images Robbie Williams, wearing a pinstripe suit, is sat on a stage and crying while Jonno puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder. — Jonno says the films shows a side of Robbie Williams “that’s vulnerable and is scared of fame”

In the same year he started at Bedford School he went with his parents to watch Robbie Williams play at Milton Keynes Bowl.

“I was just looking at the epitome of cool strutting about, giving it large,” he recalls.

“I just thought that is someone that exudes confidence and I kind of want to be a bit like that.

“So, then meeting him, working with him on this piece, and then being the one to have the privilege of playing him- it’s nuts how life can kind of come around in weird circles.”