“Teenager’s Dream Come True: Starstruck by Robbie Williams in ‘Better Man'”

It’s a moment a promising young performer will treasure eternally – his first presence on the cinematic screen – though it may be some time before he gets to see it himself.

Thirteen-year-old Alex was chosen as a background actor in the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man – which features the Rock DJ star depicted as a monkey throughout.

The teenager, hailing from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, mentioned he found it “incredibly thrilling” to walk onto a film set for the first time; however, since the film is rated 15, he is not yet permitted to attend the cinema to view it.

Regardless, he stated it had provided him with a glimpse into life as an actor, and ignited his determination to seek a career in the industry.

Alex was cast as one of the children playing football in Stoke-on-Trent at the start of the film, in a scene that portrays the early years of Robbie Williams’ existence.

“On the first day, they selected costumes from the relevant era for us and took photographs so they could replicate them precisely the following day,” Alex recounted.

His segment took two days of shooting, and Alex expressed his exhilaration at being able to meet the director Michael Gracey and gain insight into the filmmaking process.

“The child portraying young Robbie was dressed in a motion capture suit which was fascinating to observe in person,” Alex remarked.

Alex is a participant at Midlands Screen Acting School, and he volunteered after a notice was sent out seeking youngsters who would like to appear in the film.

“I wasn’t anxious in the least, I was simply thrilled for the chance for him,” declared his mother Hannah.

“He’s always dreamt of being an actor his entire life, for as long as I can recall.”

Hannah expressed that she had attended the film herself, sharing that she wanted to rise in the cinema and shout “that’s my boy!”.

She mentioned: “It was such a remarkable chance for him to engage in something so significant, and concurrently something so local.”

Williams’ bond with Stoke has persisted throughout his career with Take That and as a solo performer, and in 2022 he held a special homecoming concert at Port Vale Football Club.