William Orbit dies at 69 as Robbie Williams biopic Better Man arrives in Germany
The producer William Orbit, who collaborated with Robbie Williams, has died aged 69, as the singer's unconventional biopic Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story reaches German audiences.
Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story is a 2024 biographical film directed by Michael Gracey. The British singer is portrayed by a chimpanzee created with motion capture technology, while Williams himself provides the English-language voiceover narration. The screenplay was co-written by Gracey, Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson.
William Orbit, the producer whose career included a collaboration with Robbie Williams, has died aged 69. His death comes as Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story, the 2024 biographical film about the British singer, arrives in Germany. The precise date of Orbit's death, and the nature of his work with Williams, have not yet been confirmed. Williams, born Robert Peter Williams, first became famous as a member of Take That, the pop group he joined in 1990 and left in 1995. He launched his solo career in 1996 and released his debut album, Life thru a Lens, in 1997, featuring his best-selling single Angels. His catalogue now spans twelve studio albums and sixty-seven singles. Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey, takes an unusual approach to the biopic: Williams is portrayed on screen by a chimpanzee created with motion capture technology, while the singer himself narrates the original English-language version. Gracey co-wrote the screenplay with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson.
William Orbit, producer who worked with Williams, dies at 69
William Orbit, the record producer who collaborated with Robbie Williams among other artists during his career, has died aged 69.
Details surrounding his death remain unconfirmed. The date of his death has not yet been established, and the circumstances are not yet known.
The nature of Orbit's work with Williams is also unclear at this stage. The briefing available does not specify which recordings or projects the two worked on together, and this should not be assumed.
Nor is there any confirmed connection between Orbit and Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story, the 2024 biographical film about the singer that is now arriving in Germany. Whether he contributed to the film, its soundtrack, or had any involvement at all is not yet known. Further reporting will be needed to establish the full picture of his career and his ties to Williams.
Better Man: a biopic with a chimpanzee in the lead role
Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story is a 2024 biographical film about the British singer. It was directed by Michael Gracey, who co-wrote the screenplay with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson. The film takes an unusual approach to its subject: Williams is portrayed on screen not by an actor but by a chimpanzee, created using motion capture technology. In the original English-language version, Williams provides the voiceover narration himself.
The film is now arriving in Germany under its German title. Several details about that release remain unconfirmed. The exact German release date is not yet known, nor is the identity of the narrator for the German-language version, given that Williams voices the English original. How the film has been received, critically or commercially, has also not been established in the material available so far. This remains a developing story, and those gaps may be filled as further reporting emerges.
From Take That to solo stardom
Robbie Williams, born Robert Peter Williams, first found fame as a member of Take That. The English singer and songwriter joined the pop group in 1990 and spent five years in its ranks before walking away in 1995. A year later, in 1996, he struck out on his own.
The gamble paid off quickly. His debut solo album, Life thru a Lens, arrived in 1997 and carried what would become his best-selling single, Angels. The record established him as a solo force in his own right, well beyond the boy-band frame that had made his name.
He followed it with I've Been Expecting You, an album that produced two of his signature songs, Millennium and She's the One. Together, the early records laid the foundation for a solo career that would eventually span twelve studio albums and sixty-seven singles — the body of work that the 2024 biographical film Better Man sets out to explore.
Robbie Williams joined the pop group Take That, where he first became famous.
Williams left Take That.
Williams began his solo career.
Williams released his debut solo album Life thru a Lens, which included his best-selling single Angels.
Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story, a biographical film directed by Michael Gracey, was released; Williams is portrayed by a motion-capture chimpanzee and narrates the English version himself.
A catalogue of twelve studio albums and sixty-seven singles
The numbers behind Williams's three decades in music are considerable. His discography runs to twelve studio albums, from Life thru a Lens in 1997 onwards, alongside a soundtrack album, a live album and ten compilation albums. He has released sixty-seven singles, six promotional singles and an EP, and his work has been documented in fifty-eight music videos and eleven video albums. Angels remains his best-selling single, while Millennium and She's the One, both from I've Been Expecting You, rank among his most recognisable recordings. It is a body of work that spans the arc of his career, from the early solo records that followed his departure from Take That to his later releases.
Frequently asked questions
What is Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story?
Better Man – Die Robbie Williams Story is a 2024 biographical film about the British singer Robbie Williams. It was directed by Michael Gracey, who co-wrote the screenplay with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson. Unusually, Williams is portrayed on screen by a chimpanzee created using motion capture technology, while Williams himself provides the voiceover narration in the original English-language version.
Who plays Robbie Williams in the Better Man film?
Robbie Williams is portrayed by a chimpanzee created using motion capture technology rather than by a human actor in conventional makeup or costume. In the original English-language version, the voiceover narration is provided by Williams himself. It is not yet confirmed who performs the narration in the German-language version suggested by the film's German title.
How did Robbie Williams become famous?
Williams first became famous as a member of the pop group Take That, which he joined in 1990. He left the group in 1995 and began his solo career in 1996. His debut solo album, Life thru a Lens, was released in 1997 and included his best-selling single, Angels. His second album, I've Been Expecting You, featured Millennium and She's the One.
How many albums and singles has Robbie Williams released?
Williams's discography comprises twelve studio albums, one soundtrack album, one live album, ten compilation albums, one EP, eleven video albums, sixty-seven singles, six promotional singles and fifty-eight music videos. His releases include the 1997 debut Life thru a Lens, which contained his best-selling single Angels, and I've Been Expecting You, featuring Millennium and She's the One.
What was William Orbit's connection to Robbie Williams?
William Orbit was a producer who died aged 69. During his career he collaborated with Robbie Williams among other artists. The briefing does not confirm when Orbit died, what specific work he did with Williams, or whether he had any connection to the Better Man film. Those details have not yet been corroborated and should not be assumed.
Compiled from reporting by 3 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
