7 Details About Robbie Williams’ Real Life That Better Man Changes Or Leaves Out

Better Man changes or leaves out many elements of Robbie Williams’ life. Exploring the true story of Robbie Williams’ rise to fame, Better Man has proven to resonate with critics. Better Man‘s incredibly positive reviews praise the film for several reasons, with perhaps the most common being the funny, bizarre, and emotional way the story conveys the various moments of Williams’ life. Better Man‘s cast of characters fills out the various eras of the pop star’s career, from his early days as a member of Take That to his solo ventures.

Performed by Better Man‘s much-discussed CGI ape, Williams’ life is presented to those who are both familiar with the singer and unaware of his life. Given that Williams never cracked North America, many audience members in the USA will not be caught up in the singer’s many trials and tribulations. As such, Better Man has the freedom to make some changes and even outright omit some elements from the story. With that in mind, here is everything the film changes from Robbie Williams’ real life, and potential reasons as to why these changes were made.

7

Better Man Doesn’t Outline Robbie Williams’ Solo Career After The Film Ends

Williams’ Solo Career Is Still Successful To This Day

Robbie-Williams Performing

Interestingly, Better Man left out many elements from Robbie Williams’ life after the movie ended. Most music biopic movies tend to include credits of some sort detailing what became of their subjects after, yet Better Man mostly left this element absent. As such, there were several years of Robbie Williams’ life that were not addressed during Better Man, including the continuation of his solo career beyond the end of the film. When exactly the film ends is unclear given its jumbled timeline, but it is likely in the late 2000s.

Robbie Williams Solo Albums

Release Date

Life thru a Lens

September 29, 1997

I’ve Been Expecting You

October 26, 1998

Sing When You’re Winning

August 28, 2000

Swing When You’re Winning

November 19, 2001

Escapology

November 18, 2002

Intensive Care

October 24, 2005

Rudebox

October 23, 2006

Reality Killed the Video Star

November 6, 2009

Take the Crown

November 2, 2012

Swings Both Ways

November 8, 2013

The Heavy Entertainment Show

November 4, 2016

The Christmas Present

November 22, 2019

XXV

September 9, 2022

Between 2009 and 2022, Williams released a further six solo studio albums. These albums only furthered his fame within the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia, contributing to Williams becoming the best-selling artist in Britain where albums are concerned. “XXV” in 2022 saw Williams sell 14 number-one UK albums, breaking the previous record of 13 held by Elvis Presley. Better Man left these elements out, instead ending in the 2000s after Williams’ first solo career stint.

6

Better Man Leaves Out Robbie Williams’ Second Stint In Take That

The Band Reunited In The 2010s

A black and white photo of Take That after their reunion in 2010

One of the more prominent subplots of Better Man was the start of Robbie Williams’ career as a member of Take That. The film outlined the band’s stratospheric rise to fame, their subsequent arguments and tensions, and the group becoming a quartet after Williams left the band. At the end of Better Man, a scene showcases Williams apologizing to fellow band member Gary Barlow, yet leaves out what became of this scene in real life. After Williams and Barlow mended their relationship, the former rejoined Take That for a comeback tour.

Better Man does not make any mention of the Take That reunion…

This happened in 2010, 15 years after Williams first left the band, as the five released a studio album named “Progress.” This album became a massive success and led to a major stadium tour involving the five original members across the UK and Europe. Better Man does not make any mention of the Take That reunion, instead ending the film shortly after Williams and Barlow reconciled. The reason for this being left out is fairly simple to explain, however. Obviously, Better Man is a Robbie Williams biopic, not a Take That film. As such, focusing on the former is expected.

5

Better Man Doesn’t Mention Robbie Williams’ Marriage To Ayda Field

Williams Has Been Married Since 2010

Still of Robbie Williams looking into the distance in Better Man

Another big subplot of Better Man was Robbie Williams’ relationship with All Saints singer Nicole Appleton. The first half of the film includes the meeting between the two, their swift engagement, an abortion pushed onto the couple by a record label, and their subsequent split. Much like Williams’ relationship with Gary Barlow and the other members of Take That, Better Man ends with a few scenes that showcase the mending of the relationship between Williams and Appleton, despite the two not getting back together.

Beyond this, Better Man leaves out elements of Williams’ further romantic life. In 2006, Williams began dating American actress Ayda Field. Eventually, the two were married in 2010. Since then, Williams and Field have had four children together and are still married in the present. Better Man does not outline Williams’ meeting with Field, nor their subsequent marriage and family. This relationship was likely omitted from the film for pacing and narrative reasons, given that it came after the brunt of the dramatic aspects of Williams’ life that Better Man focuses on.

4

Better Man’s Timeline Is Slightly Different From Robbie Williams’ Real-Life

The Latter Elements Of Better Man’s Third Act Are Somewhat Jumbled

Robbie Williams as a CGI Monkey screaming into a microphone at a concert in Better Man

Although not an element that Better Man leaves out concerning Williams’ life, the final act changes the timeline somewhat. The film holds quite a well-structured narrative, detailing Williams’ rise to fame, his fall to substance abuse, and his rise once more. This is a structure that many music biopics follow, and Better Man is no different. The film culminates Williams’ “fall” section with his performance at the British music venue of Knebworth Festival, with his rehabilitation and performance at the Royal Albert Hall following to signify his overcoming his demons.

Vincent Piazza in Jersey Boys and Austin Butler in Elvis

Related

15 Highest-Grossing Music Biopics, Ranked By Box Office Success

The last two decades of music biopics have seen box office flops and Academy Award winners, with the late 2010s introducing several blockbusters.

Posts

In real life, this order of events was different. Williams’ performance at Knebworth came in 2003, yet his Royal Albert Hall appearance was two years earlier, in 2001. Better Man flips this, presenting the latter event as coming after the former as a means of culminating the narrative arc of the film and its subject. This change was likely made, as alluded to, for purely narrative purposes with the performance at the Royal Albert Hall providing a solid emotional climax.

3

Better Man’s Boat Scene Is Made Up

The Meeting Between Williams & Appleton Was Very Different In Real Life

A dance on a yacht in front of the moon and fireworks in Better Man (2025)

One of the biggest moments in Williams’ life, as presented by Better Man, was his meeting with Nicole Appleton. Interestingly though, this scene was completely made up for the film. Better Man shows Williams and Appleton meeting on a brightly lit yacht before having them dance lovingly together as a montage of their ensuing relationship is shown. In reality, Williams and Appleton met in a much less glamorous and romantic setting when they both appeared on the British singing show, Top of the Pops.

This change was likely made to imbue Better Man with a stronger visual sense. The sequence on the boat is one of the most memorable in the film and also one of the most visually stunning, allowing Michael Gracey to add a musical number that rivals the best song moments from The Greatest Showman. Without this scene, Better Man would have been robbed of one of its more beautiful sequences, explaining why the change to Williams’ meeting with Appleton was altered.

2

​​​​​​Robbie Williams’ Dad Did Not Sing “My Way” With Him Like In Better Man

The Emotional Climax Of Better Man Was Fabricated

Better Man Robbie Williams Concert

Perhaps one of the most disappointing changes in Better Man ironically comes as a result of the film’s most emotional moment. The ending of the story sees Williams performing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” with his father on stage at Royal Albert Hall, making for a beautiful bookend while completing the character arc of the film’s famous subject. With that in mind, it may come as a disappointment to many that this did not actually happen in real life.

Although Williams did perform “My Way” at the Royal Albert Hall, his father was not on stage with him. In fact, the real performance does not feature Williams paying tribute to his family members as Better Man depicts it, with the musician instead only providing a shout-out to his mother. As alluded to, this change was made to give the film a stronger emotional resonance. Better Man‘s finale is exceptional and tear-jerking, primarily due to the performance of Williams and his father. Without this change, Better Man‘s finale would not have had even close to the same emotional impact.

1

Better Man Changes Robbie Williams’ Road To Recovery From Substance Abuse

Better Man’s Depiction Of Williams’ Recovery Is Simplified

Robbie Williams next to the CGI Monkey depicting him in Better Man (2025)

Custom Image by Lewis Glazebrook

Finally, the last major change made to Better Man‘s story is the depiction of Williams’ recovery from substance abuse. The ending of Better Man shows Williams entering rehabilitation and undergoing a strict detox before performing at the Royal Albert Hall. In real life, Williams’ rehabilitation was slightly different in that he attempted to overcome his addictions several times.

Williams actually attempted rehabilitation multiple times throughout his career, including as early as 1997 after leaving Take That and suffering setbacks in his solo career. In Better Man, Williams’ recovery only comes after his performance at Knebworth. As with several other changes, this one was likely made to give Better Man a tighter, more satisfying narrative. By building up Williams’ addictions over the movie and paying off his recovery in the final act, Better Man‘s narrative satisfaction was dramatically increased.

Better Man thumbnail

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Better Man

Directed by Michael Gracey, Better Man explores the life and career of singer Robbie Williams through his own eyes.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Cast

robbie williams
, Jonno Davies
, Steve Pemberton
, Alison Steadman
, Damon Herriman
, Anthony Hayes
, Kate Mulvany

Director

Michael Gracey

Writers

Michael Gracey
, Oliver Cole
, Simon Gleeson

Leave a Comment