Gary Barlow: “In your biopic I seem more evil than Darth Vader”

Robbie Williams reveals the answer of Gary Barlow when he saw biopic”Better Man” soon to be released. The difficult relationships between the two (later healed) date back to the 90s, when both were part of Take That.

The semi-autobiographical film, directed and co-written by Michael Gracey (who also directed “The Greatest Showman” with Hugh Jackman), will be released in the United Kingdom on Boxing Day (December 26) and in some US cinemas on Christmas Day (December 25). In the film, the lead singer is depicted as a CGI monkey and the film tells the story of his life and career, from his early childhood days to his first taste of success with the boyband Take That.

Now Williams has opened up about his past rivalry with former bandmate Gary Barlow and opened up about his response to the way the friend/enemy was depicted in “Better Man.” After the Take That frontman got his first look at the biopic, Williams recalled getting a call from Barlow telling him that the project made him look like a Hollywood supervillain.

“We had a contentious relationship. In the script, I talk about how I felt at the time, which was not a compliment to Gaz, and we sent him the script,” Williams said (via Daily Mail). “He phoned me and, being an adult, there was no outpouring or accusation, he simply said: ‘Rob, in the first half I come out worse than Darth Vader’.” According to the newspaper, the phone call reportedly to the iconic Star Wars villain forced Williams to soften Barlow’s portrayal in the final cut.

At the film’s press screening in Los Angeles, Williams said he was destined to be the film’s main villain. “I’m quite happy to be the main villain of this film,” he said (via Daily Mail). “There were a lot of bad guys in this movie as long as we legally could make it. And now the only bad guy in this movie is me.”

The pair’s past rivalry dates back to their time in Take That in the 1990s and saw Williams brand his bandmate a “clueless wanker” before leaving the group in 1995. Williams then went on to have a highly successful solo career , before the two made peace in 2009 and returned to Take That in 2010.

Speaking on the recent BBC Two documentary, “Boyband Forever”, Williams also reflected on the reunion and said that although they are both “friends now and I love him, and our relationship is 95% healed”, he will “always be there a scar.” The comments also follow Williams’ discussion of Barlow in his 2023 Netflix documentary, “Robbie Williams” where he admitted he felt “resentment” towards his bandmate early in Take That’s career.

“It seemed like there was only one person in Take That who was being managed, and that was Gary Barlow. It was all about him and, as a young man, I was jealous of that. I suppose part of me was angry with him,” he said. said.

At the time, Williams also revealed his reasons for not consulting Barlow about the documentary, saying: “Legally I didn’t have to.” Most recently, Williams wrote an open letter to former Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith, challenging Martin-Smith’s claims about his drug addiction in the BBC Two documentary.

Robbie Williams is planning a major tour of the UK, Ireland and Europe in 2025. The announcement came after he hinted to fans that he would be returning to the road “soon”. The former Take That is expected in Italy for a single date scheduled for 17 July 2025 at the Nereo Rocco Stadium in Trieste.

As for Gary Barlow, the singer-songwriter recently shared details of a new “Songbook” tour, scheduled for next year in the UK and Ireland.