Monkeying around! Robbie Williams biopic ‘Better Man’ wins The Film Award at Rolling Stone UK Awards 2024
Jonno Davies, the man behind the CGI monkey, picked up the award at the Roundhouse in London tonight
Better Man, the upcoming Robbie Williams biopic starring a CGI monkey, has won The Film Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards 2024.
At tonight’s ceremony at London’s Roundhouse, the Jonno Davies-starring film beat the likes of Blur documentary To The End, Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun, Olivia Colman in Wicked Little Letters and more to pick up the gong.
Picking up the award from Ted Lasso star Kola Bokinni, Davies – the man behind the monkey – said: “This is an amazing honour. This was a stacked category and it means a lot.”
I’ve had the privilege of being the lead in this movie, palying Robbie Williams.
He spoke of “visionary” director Michael Gracie. “He had a vision, and wanted to tell Rob’s story through a whole new lens. That is showing Rob as he sees himself – that is a literal performing monkey.“
Davies added: “One of the reasons we played him as a performing monkey, I feel like a lot of people in this room might resonate with. The idea of fame, being a celebrity, an entertainer, you are put on a pedestal that feels separate to everyone else. You are expected to just turn it on at any given moment despite what you’re going through – to roll with the punches.
“Speaking with Rob, I now realise how dangerous that path can be. I want to take this moment to thank you all for what you do. For sacrificing parts of yourself to provide us with your artistry, and giving us some of the most vulnerable pieces of your being to provide us not with just entertainment, but with ever-evolving soundtracks to our lives.”
The second annual Rolling Stone UK Awards kicked off earlier tonight with a performance from English Teacher, who delighted with a stunning rendition of ‘You Blister My Paint’ from their Mercury Prize-winning debut album This Could Be Texas. They were followed by performances from JADE and Confidence Man.
You can check back here for all the latest coverage of the Rolling Stone UK Awards throughout the evening.