Robbie Williams' biopic loses Oscar chances due to unexpected setback.

A film that shares the life story of the Take That singer through music.

December 21st 2024.

Robbie Williams' biopic loses Oscar chances due to unexpected setback.
The highly anticipated biopic, Better Man, centered around the life of Robbie Williams, has suffered a major blow in its award season journey. As we eagerly await the upcoming awards season, it's been a rollercoaster ride for the film as it received a nomination for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes for its powerful track, Forbidden Road, written by Robbie, Freddy Wexler, and Sacha Skarbek. However, the song's journey to the Oscars has hit a roadblock as it was recently disqualified from the shortlist, reducing the number of nominees from 15 to 14.

According to sources, the disqualification came as a surprise as it was revealed that the song incorporated material from an existing song that was not originally written for the film. Despite the fact that the Academy's rules explicitly state that the song must be original and specifically written for the motion picture, the controversy arose due to similarities between Forbidden Road and a 1973 tune, I Got a Name, performed by Jim Croce for the movie The Last American Hero. The issue was further complicated by the fact that Charles Fox-Norman Gimbel, one of the song's original writers, is now a part of the Academy's music branch.

A letter was sent out to the members of the music branch, explaining the decision and stating that it was made in order to protect the integrity of the Original Song and Score categories. It remains to be seen if the song will be replaced on the shortlist, which currently also features other talented artists such as Emilia Perez, Piece By Piece, The Wild Robot, and Challengers.

Neither Paramount Pictures, the distributor of the film, nor Robbie Williams himself has responded to the disqualification yet. However, the film still has a chance to win an Oscar in the Best Visual Effects category, as it used a performance capture suit on Jonno Davies, who voices the monkey in the movie.

In a recent interview with Metro, Robbie opened up about the unconventional approach he took to tell his story on the big screen. He explained that as someone on the spectrum, he doesn't always pick up on cues that may seem unusual to others, and that's why he chose to have a monkey narrate his rise to fame. He humorously added that while he may not know where he falls on the spectrum, he knows that he is on it.

Robbie also poked fun at the situation, imagining that even Bob Dylan, whose biopic is currently in the works, might be thinking, "Why wasn't that a monkey?" Despite the initial doubts, Robbie believes that the unconventional approach worked better for the film and its message.

As of now, Paramount Pictures has not issued a statement regarding the disqualification. The film is set to release in UK cinemas on December 26th. If you have a celebrity story to share, you can contact the entertainment team at The Agency through email, phone, or by visiting their Submit Stuff page. They would love to hear from you.

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