Oscars 2025: Robbie Williams song disqualified after making shortlist
Posted On
(Credits: Paramount Pictures)
Days after making the shortlist for ‘Best Original Song’ at the Academy Awards, Robbie Williams’ ‘Forbidden Road,’ which appears in his upcoming biopic Better Man, and is also nominated for a Golden Globe, has been disqualified from the competition.
According to the Academy’s rules, songs in the category must be wholly original and written for the movie they appear in. As reported by Variety, ‘Forbidden Road’ does not meet the criteria because it incorporates material from a preexisting song.
In a letter sent to the more than 400 members of the Academy’s music branch, it was explained that the overlap was only discovered after the shortlist was announced. The letter also stated that it was a “decision that both honours our rules and protects the special nature of the Original Song and Score categories”.
Rather than being replaced by another song, ‘Forbidden Road’ will simply be removed, and the shortlist for ‘Best Original Song’ will shrink from 15 competitors to 14. The official nominations for this and all Oscar categories will be announced on January 17th ahead of the March 2nd ceremony.
What is ‘Better Man’ about?
The removal of ‘Forbidden Road’ from the competition will come as a blow to the creators of Better Man, a film that has raised eyebrows. Far from being the straightforward biopic of a pop star in the mould of Bohemian Rhapsody or Rocketman, Better Man takes a radically different approach, with pop superstar Robbie Williams being portrayed by a CGI-animated ape.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Williams stated that the decision wasn’t just a gimmick. Having achieved fame at the age of 16 in the band Take That, he has always felt like a performing monkey. “I am very aware that I am stunted,” he explained. “I’m very aware that I am unevolved.”
Despite being an unusual premise, the singer thinks that it’s actually the film’s greatest selling point. “Let’s face it,” he said. “A Robbie Williams biopic without the monkey is way less appealing, or intriguing. It would be interesting to my fans, but not to anyone else.” ”
Directed by Michael Gracey, who also directed the blockbuster musical The Greatest Showman and produced the Elton John biopic Rocketman, Better Man premiered at the Telluride Film Festival earlier this year and will be released in the UK on December 26th.
[embedded content]
Related Topics
