In 2001, a nine-year-old Jonno Davies stood in awe at the Milton Keynes Bowl, watching his idol Robbie Williams perform in front of 65,000 fans. To Davies, Williams was the epitome of cool, the rock star who defined an era. Little did he know that 21 years later, he’d not only be playing Williams in a film but would be transformed into a computer-generated chimpanzee to portray him.
Now 32, Davies stars in Better Man, a musical biopic about Robbie Williams, where he portrays his childhood hero. But in a surprising twist, Davies is not recognisable in the role. Instead, he plays Williams through performance capture technology, which later transforms him into a primate—a visual choice inspired by Williams’ own description of himself as a “performing monkey”.
Director Michael Gracey, who previously helmed The Greatest Showman, explains that during conversations with Williams, the pop star self-deprecatingly compared himself to a circus performer, leading to the decision to depict him as a chimpanzee. “It wasn’t about replicating Robbie’s exact look,” Davies says. “Instead, the monkey allowed us to go beyond physical comparison and focus entirely on storytelling.”
Davies’ performance required him to don a motion-capture suit, creating a digital version of Williams with the help of Weta FX, the company behind Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. He played the role of Robbie from the age of 15, performing every aspect—his body, voice, and even dance moves. For Davies, the transformation meant he was liberated from any vanity or self-doubt. “I wasn’t worried about how I looked. The monkey character allowed me to focus on being true to the character,” he explains.
There is, however, a fleeting moment where Davies’ face can be glimpsed—a “tiny split second” at the film’s end. But for the most part, his appearance is almost entirely digital, thanks to the advanced CGI techniques used to create the primate version of Williams.
Interestingly, Davies was cast just a week before filming began. His career had taken an unexpected turn when he was performing as PT Barnum at children’s parties—a “side hustle” he had alongside acting. Kate Mulvany, who plays Williams’ mother in the film, recommended Davies after working with him on Hunters, an Amazon Prime series. When the call came from director Gracey, inviting Davies to audition, it felt like a surreal moment for the actor. “I thought I’d mucked it up. But then they called me in and said, ‘We want you to play Robbie.’ It was a dream role, but also a huge responsibility.”
Davies’ training for the role involved more than just mastering Williams’ voice and movements; it also required him to tap into the emotional complexities of the man he was playing. In particular, Davies resonated with Williams’ feelings of imposter syndrome, which he shares with the star. “I think Rob feels like he’s lucking his way through life, and I could really relate to that,” says Davies. “The pressure of it all was daunting.”
Filming in Australia, Davies experienced a remarkable moment in 2022 when Williams himself attended a rehearsal at the Royal Albert Hall. “There he was, right in the front row, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s Robbie Williams, that’s who I’m playing!’ I was so nervous, my voice was shaking, and my knees were buckling.” But despite his nerves, Williams praised Davies’ performance, calling him “a fantastic human being” and “immensely talented.”
More Read
Growing up in Milton Keynes, Davies attended Bedford School, where he took part in various musicals. “If it wasn’t for Bedford School, I wouldn’t be an actor,” he reflects. His head of drama encouraged him to pursue acting instead of university, a turning point that helped shape his career.
Now, with his name etched on a seat in the school theatre, Davies is eager to inspire the next generation. “I want to share whatever I’ve learned,” he says. “Maybe one day we can do a motion-capture day, and I can teach the kids how to bring characters like monkeys to life!”
Looking back on his childhood memory of watching Robbie Williams perform, Davies finds the full circle moment astonishing. “I watched him on stage thinking, ‘I want to be like that,’ and now, I’m playing him. Life really has a strange way of bringing things full circle.”
