“How Wētā FX Turned Robbie Williams into a CGI Ape—And Made It Look Unbelievably Real!”
When it comes to pushing the boundaries of visual effects, Wētā FX is always at the forefront. From bringing Gollum to life in The Lord of the Rings to creating photorealistic apes in Planet of the Apes, the studio has a knack for turning impossible ideas into cinematic magic. Their latest challenge? Transforming actor Jonno Davies into a CGI version of pop icon Robbie Williams—reimagined as an ape in Better Man, Michael Gracey’s ambitious musical biopic.
This cutting-edge fusion of motion capture, digital artistry, and raw performance has set a new standard in how biopics can be told. In an exclusive behind-the-scenes look, Wētā FX’s VFX Supervisor Luke Millar and motion capture performer Jonno Davies reveal the challenges, surprises, and sheer technical wizardry that made this transformation possible.
Turning a Human into a Digital Pop Star—Ape Edition
At first glance, the idea of turning Robbie Williams into an ape might sound completely bizarre. But in Better Man, this creative choice symbolizes the duality of fame—the raw, animalistic energy of stardom vs. the vulnerability behind the mask.
To bring this vision to life, Wētā FX relied on their industry-leading motion capture technology. Jonno Davies wore a mocap suit and a facial capture rig to record his every movement, from Robbie’s iconic stage presence to his most intimate, emotional moments.
Millar explains that before filming even began, Wētā FX collaborated with every department—from hair and makeup to costume design—to ensure Jonno’s motion capture suit and facial tracking tech worked seamlessly.
“We don’t work in isolation,” says Millar. “So having the collaboration of all involved really helped with bringing Robbie to life.”
Jonno Davies: Becoming Robbie (in Ape Form)
Jonno Davies wasn’t just handed the role—he landed it in the most unexpected way.
Recommended by his co-star Kate Mulvany, Jonno’s physicality in A Clockwork Orange caught director Michael Gracey’s attention. Once cast, he dove headfirst into all things Robbie Williams, studying his mannerisms, stage presence, and vocal delivery.
“I think I kept YouTube afloat with how many Robbie Williams performances I watched,” Jonno jokes.
But what really brought the character to life was Robbie himself. The pop star was incredibly generous with his time, allowing Jonno to see the difference between ‘Robbie the performer’ and ‘Robbie the person.’
The first time Jonno saw himself fully transformed into a CGI ape version of Robbie, he was blown away.
“I was worried my performance would get lost in the wonderment of it all,” he recalls. “But when I saw my ad-libs, my expressions—it was truly special.”
Rock DJ and the Challenge of Digital Concerts
One of the film’s most ambitious sequences was the Regent Street ‘Rock DJ’ performance. A high-energy, meticulously choreographed scene, it required months of planning.
“We previs’d, techvis’d, shootvis’d, re-techvis’d, and then rehearsed,” says Millar. “When we got to the actual street, I felt ready, but you never know what will happen.”
The biggest challenge? Five synchronized mobility scooters.
“If anyone is contemplating trying to shoot a musical number with five synchronized mobility scooters—DON’T!” Millar jokes. “They are the most temperamental things ever!”
For Davies, this scene was a dream come true. Unlike other sequences, where Robbie struggles with fame, ‘Rock DJ’ was pure joy—a moment where he could fully embrace the energy of the crowd.
Balancing Spectacle with Intimate Moments
While Better Man delivers dazzling concert sequences, the film’s quiet, emotional moments were just as important.
“There’s no microphone, no grand performance to hide behind in these scenes,” says Davies. “It’s just pure emotion.”
One standout moment is Robbie’s tender interactions with his Nan. The challenge here? Maintaining subtlety in the digital performance while ensuring that the motion capture rig didn’t interfere with physical closeness.
“Jonno wore a dual-mounted face cam and helmet, but if he needed to get close, it would physically get in the way,” explains Millar. “This meant our animation team had to work extra hard to preserve the intimacy of those moments.”
The Toughest Scene to Execute
Every film has its most demanding moments, and for Better Man, two sequences stood out.
For Jonno, the hardest scene was the Land of a Thousand Dances montage, where Robbie’s meteoric rise to solo stardom is shown in fast-paced cuts.
“I remember hitting take 15 and realizing the adrenaline was wearing off,” he says. “It gave me a greater understanding and respect for what Rob went through.”
For Millar, the most technically complex scene was She’s The One.
“Close interaction between Robbie and another character is the hardest work,” he reveals. “His CG arms are longer than human arms, so we had to rework all the contact points.”
With complex transitions, match cuts, and digital environment extensions, this scene required a painstaking level of detail to make everything seamless.
Even the boats in the background had CGI partygoers dancing on them!
Final Thoughts: A Digital Leap Forward
At its core, Better Man is more than just a VFX spectacle—it’s a deeply personal story about Robbie Williams. The collaboration between Jonno Davies, Wētā FX, and director Michael Gracey resulted in a film that is both technically groundbreaking and emotionally profound.
And as for Luke Millar’s own motion capture cameo in the film?
“If this all goes tits up, Luke would make an excellent bus driver,” jokes Jonno.
One thing is for sure: the team behind Better Man has set a new standard in digital performance capture, proving that even a CGI chimpanzee can deliver an Oscar-worthy performance.
