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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Halina Watts

Robbie Williams struggles to find young actor confident enough to play him in biopic

In my eyes, Robbie Williams can do very little wrong. But if film bosses don’t sort out who’s playing young Robbie in his upcoming biopic, it may be a case of Let Me Entertain You… in a few years.

I’m hearing the film – entitled Better Man – is struggling to find its lead star, despite extensive auditions. And even Robbie, 48, fears the story of his life, directed by Aussie Michael Gracey, will not come to fruition.

Could it be that, rather like the title of his 1999 album The Ego Has Landed, no one can match up to our Robster?

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Robbie fears the movie of his life will never be made (PA)
Robbie and his wife Ayda Field (Thames/Syco)

An insider said: “Michael and Robbie held top-secret auditions to find a star to play the young Robbie recently.

“They didn’t meet anyone they were confident could pull it off.

“Robbie is stunned at how difficult the project has been to get made. And now he’s starting to worry it’s never going to make it to the big screen and he’ll look foolish for hyping it up.”

Better Man will be a Robbie Williams biopic (Getty Images)

Despite the former Take That singer’s doubts, he is due to be recorded at an upcoming concert in Oz for the film.

Michael – the man behind the success of The Greatest Showman – will use clever movie magic to make Robbie look like he did in his 90s glory.

And fans attending the concert – at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena – are being asked to wear their best clobber from the decade.

The insider said: “The London-based studio, Rocket Science, is handling international sales on the project and is hoping for a big hit.

His upcoming concert in Oz will be filmed for the movie (Steve Gillett)

“Robbie has fans all over the world and his story is not short of drama. But if they can’t find a star charismatic enough to play him, the whole house of cards is going to come falling down and it’ll end up in development hell.”

Robbie has previously admitted he has no idea who the best young actors are and said he wished he could have the late film star Gene Kelly!

Only about 80 years too late. As long as Rudebox is skimmed over, it should be fine…

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