Why Robbie Williams Thought He Was Eminem While Making “Better Man”

Robbie Williams shared a story about comparing himself to Eminem while battling over the soundtrack choices for his new biopic.

Making a movie about your life is not easy, especially when it comes to picking the perfect soundtrack. Just ask Robbie Williams, who admitted he went full “Eminem mode” while working on “Better Man”, his upcoming musical biopic.

The film explores Robbie’s rise from Take That heartthrob to solo superstar, diving into his struggles with fame, mental health, and addiction and featuring an unexpected twist where he is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee.

In a recent interview with Collider, Williams revealed he was convinced some of his biggest bangers belonged in the movie. He said, comparing his determination to Eminem’s fight for “Lose Yourself” in “8 Mile”:

I was sending these songs over that I’m like, “That’s a banger. That’s a banger. You are wrong”. And I’d heard this story about “Lose Yourself” in 8 Mile and how the director had sent that back, and Eminem was right. And I’m like, “I’m Eminem in this moment. That one’s the song, and you are wrong”.

However, as it turns out, director Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman”) had a different vision. After seeing the finished movie, Williams admitted:

I was like, “I totally get why those songs weren’t the ones chosen, and I totally get what you need there”. What I was sending wasn’t a cuddle. What I was sending wasn’t soothing. What I was sending wasn’t healing.

It is safe to say soothing is not Eminem’s thing either, but Robbie is no Slim Shady — and that is exactly what makes Better Man his own story to tell.