Williams also reminisced about his early years with Take That, performing in gay clubs and feeling accepted in the community. "There was total acceptance and humour and gay abandon. And safety," he recalled.
Directed by Michael Gracey, Better Man traces Williams' journey from his time with Take That to his battles with substance abuse and mental health. Gracey shared that the film's unique concept, including the idea of portraying Williams as a monkey, presented challenges in securing financing. "Convincing financiers was really hard," he said. "Then you go, ‘Rob's going to be played as a monkey.' That was the end of so many finance meetings."
The movie also explores Williams' complicated relationship with his former bandmates, particularly Gary Barlow, who was concerned about his portrayal in the film. “Rob, read the script, I come off worse than Darth Vader,” Barlow said.
Better Man touches on Williams' past relationship with All Saints' Nicole Appleton, including a controversial scene depicting their terminated pregnancy. Williams reflected on the pressure at the time to prioritize his pop career over personal decisions, stating, “It’s only now that you go ‘what the fuck? That’s insane.'”
Williams also compared his fame to his teenage experimentation with drugs, saying, “I shouldn’t have taken fame. It’s the same thing." Now, as a married father of four, he views his career differently. "Daddy goes to work, that’s what I say now," he explained, emphasizing that despite the challenges, he loves his job.
The biopic, which Williams says would be less intriguing without the "monkey" concept, is set to release on December 26.
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