Robbie Williams ensured he made the most memorable speech of the night at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Industry awards (AACTAs) on Friday night.
The British pop star took the stage at the prestigious ceremony, known as the Aussie Oscars and held at Home of the Arts (HOTA) on Australia’s Gold Coast, when his biopic, Better Man, won the Best Film prize.
‘I wasn’t expecting this,’ the 50-year-old began, before launching into a wild diatribe.
‘I’d like to thank drugs, ADHD, depression, anxiety, dyslexia, dyscalculia, insomnia, dyspraxia, a lack of self-awareness, a lack of self-worth, a fear of social interaction, body dysmorphia, addiction, alcoholism, and a lower than average sized-penis – without which, none of this film would be possible’ he rambled to laughter.
Williams later wowed the crowd with a performance of his biggest hit, Angels.
‘Listen, you’ve all sat for long enough, way too long, but for me, just this one time, let’s take this home – Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!’ he yelled during the song.
Robbie Williams (pictured) ensured he made the most memorable speech of the night at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Industry awards (AACTAs) on Friday night
The crowd then replied with the classic Australian chant: ‘Oi, oi, oi!’
‘I love you, Australia,’ Williams said at the end of his performance before heading off, no doubt to enjoy the night’s festivities.
The eccentric special effects filled film also scored the Best Actor award for Jonno Davies.
The 32-year-old British-born star performed his part as a ‘fictional’ Robbie Williams with his face and body appearing as a chimpanzee – an effect created using CGI.
Better Man, which has been a surprise hit Down Under after it flopped at the box office overseas, also scored a Best Supporting Actor prize for Damon Herriman and Best Director for Aussie filmmaker Michael Gracey.
The unique feature also won AACTAs for Best Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Original Score.
Better Man hit screens Down Under on December 26, and the movie has strong ties to Australia.
Even though the pop king’s ascent to fame took place in Europe, most of the glossy production was actually filmed in Melbourne.
The British pop star took the stage at the prestigious ceremony, known as the Aussie Oscars and held at Home of the Arts (HOTA) on Australia’s Gold Coast, when his biopic, Better Man (pictured), won the Best Film prize
‘I wasn’t expecting this,’ the 50-year-old began, before launching into a wild diatribe
‘I’d like to thank drugs, ADHD , depression , anxiety, dyslexia, dyscalculia, insomnia, dyspraxia, a lack of self-awareness, a lack of self-worth, a fear of social interaction, body dysmorphia, addiction, alcoholism, and a lower than average sized-penis – without which, none of this film would be possible’ he rambled to laughter
Robbie narrates fictionalised version of his life which traces the the UK- born hitmaker’s epic journey to stardom from boy band heart-throb to stadium rocker.
Among the Brit locations recreated for the film was London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The Docklands studio was used to fabricate the famed theatre for a scene depicting a milestone moment in Robbie’s career.
Well known Melbourne locations used for filming included Rod Laver Arena and the Intercontinental Melbourne hotel, the Cruden Farm at Langwarrin and the Fawkner Bowls club, reported the Herald Sun.
The $173 million production also used Crown Casino, the University of Melbourne, the Melbourne Town Hall and the Melbourne Pavilion and Stella Maris Seafarers Centre to stage scenes.
Filmed by Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey, who directed the box-office smash The Greatest Showman, Better Man has been billed as a musical fantasy.
In a bizarre move, the young Robbie is depicted in the film as a monkey using CGI.
Motion capture techniques were used to transform Jonno Davies into a life like creation of a humanoid ‘ape’.
Williams later wowed the crowd with a performance of his biggest hit, Angels
‘Listen, you’ve all sat for long enough, way too long, but for me, just this one time, let’s take this home – Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!’ he yelled during the song
The crowd then replied with the classic Australian chant: ‘Oi, oi, oi!’ ‘I love you, Australia,’ Williams said at the end of his performance
Other members of the cast include Australian actors Kate Mulvany (The Great Gatsby), Damon Herriman (Mr InBetween).
Additionally, filmmaker and actor Anthony Hayes, whose feature film Gold is currently streaming on Stan, also appears.
Robbie first rose to fame in the all boy band Take That, before launching a successful solo career in 1996. A string of UK hit singles and albums followed.
In 2006 Robbie made it into the Guinness Book of World Records after he sold 1.6million concert tickets in a single day.
The filmmakers have been careful to avoid comparisons to recent musical biopics like the Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody, and the Elton John story, Rocketman.
In an official statement the production said the film was ‘a satirical musical based on the life of a pop star’.
The film features ‘re-imaginings’ of Robbie’s hit songs, and stunning visual effects in order to explore the ‘inner demons’ the super star has had to battle both on stage and off.
While the production was based at Docklands Studios in Melbourne during filming back in 2022, some scenes were shot overseas.
The eccentric special effects filled film also scored the Best Actor award for Jonno Davies (pictured)
The 32-year-old British-born star performed his part as a ‘fictional’ Robbie Williams with his face and body appearing as a chimpanzee – an effect created using CGI
Better Man, which has been a surprise hit Down Under after it flopped at the box office overseas, also scored a Best Supporting Actor prize for Damon Herriman and Best Director for Aussie filmmaker Michael Gracey
In Serbia, 2000 extras were recruited to recreated a Williams’ performance at the 2003 Knebworth Festival.
‘To tell Robbie William’s beautiful, distinct story, back home, in my own city, is a dream come true,’ Gracey said in a statement.
‘There is a creative energy that burns across the Melbourne film industry, and I know this movie will thrive here.’
He went on to describe Robbie as an ‘everyman’ who has an ‘incredibly relatable story’ about following your dreams.
Meanwhile, Colin Brooks, Minister for Creative Industries Victoria told the Herald Sun that the film was a huge boost to the state’s economy.
Claiming that he film was the biggest ever production mounted in Victoria he said that it created 2,920 jobs and pumped $142 million into the state’s economy.
