Raechelle Banno has revealed how Nicole Appleton gave her blessing to Robbie Williams’ new biopic Better Man.
The Australian actress, 31, plays her ex-girlfriend Nicole, 50, in the film and has told how she was consulted on all aspects of the project.
Nicole attended the star-studded Better Man premiere earlier this month and even posed for photos with Robbie proving that exes get along well.
At the event, Robbie thanked his ex for being “f***ing brave” and “allowing” him to depict their tumultuous relationship and heartbreaking abortion in the film.
And Raechelle has now told him The times of Nicole and her involvement: “She was involved in the script, they definitely had her read it.” It’s her story and it’s important that she has a say in how it’s treated because there are some sensitive things there.
Raechelle Banno has revealed how Nicole Appleton gave her blessing to new Robbie Williams biopic Better Man
The Australian actress, 31, plays her ex-girlfriend Nicole, 50, in the film and has told how she was consulted on all aspects of the project (Robbie and Nicole seen in 1998).
‘There are enough things happening in the world where women don’t have a say in what happens in their lives. Even before I got the job, they (Gracey and Simon Gleeson, one of the writers) told me clearly that they wanted Nicole to be a character with complete autonomy, that she was not just there to serve Robbie’s story, but also He had his own life.
‘As we got closer to filming, they wanted to check in with her and make sure she was happy with how her part of the story was being told. I really appreciated it. I think he’s already seen the whole movie and given his blessing.’
Nicole and Robbie met while working on Top of the Pops in 1997 and began a whirlwind nine-month romance, during which Robbie proposed.
But the romance came to an end shortly after Nicole miscarried in 1999.
At the Better Man premiere, Holly Willoughby shared a video of Robbie performing at the after-premiere party held at Lio London, during which he greeted Nicole.
“Nicole Appleton is fucking brave for allowing us to tell that part of the story,” he said as he led the intimate crowd to applause before launching into his hit song She’s The One.
Talking to Hello! Before the premiere, Robbie explained how he had invited Nicole to an early screening, before admitting: “The hardest thing is watching Nicole and what we went through because she was told to get rid of our baby…”
The singer added: “I didn’t make her do that, but I was a horrible fucking boyfriend, really horrible, and I was at the height of my addiction and alcoholism.”
“And it breaks my heart every time I see her because she is a complete angel, and there is still shame for who I was then.”
Robbie added that he called her as soon as he left the screening and they both shed tears before saying he was looking forward to “giving her a hug” at Wednesday’s premiere.
Nicole (seen) attended the star-studded Better Man premiere earlier this month and even posed for photos with Robbie proving that exes get along well.
Raechelle Banno, Robbie Williams and Jonno Davies are pictured at the Better Man premiere this month
Nicole revealed her side of the relationship and break-up in her 2002 autobiography Together, writing how she became pregnant with Robbie’s baby, but after pressure from record company All Saints, had an abortion.
Recalling Robbie’s reaction to her pregnancy at the time, she said: “Robbie Williams put his hand on my belly and said, ‘This baby is saving my life.'”
Robbie backed his ex’s decision to write about the abortion in his autobiography, but later admitted that reliving it had “torn him apart.”
“I was completely behind her… If there’s something that’s so deeply rooted inside you that you feel like you’d feel better if you exorcised it and got it off your chest, because secrets can make you sick and secrets can make you sick.” “I feel terrible… so I totally agree with her,” he previously told the Daily Mail.
Robbie also reflected on his relationship with Nicole in his revealing Netflix documentary last year.
Home video footage showed the pop couple in the early days of their romance after meeting on Top Of The Pops in 1997.
The footage then shows the moment a smitten Robbie, who was in the middle of his successful solo career at the time, proposed to her via a brief phone call.
Recalling the nine-month relationship, during which the couple split several times, Robbie explained that he was not in a “fit state” to get engaged.
Robbie has been working on Better Man since 2021 and the film is scheduled for release on December 26.
The singer is played by actor Jonno Davies as a CGI monkey in the film. As Jonno takes on the role of the younger Robbie, the singer is heard in voiceover and then plays the older version of himself.
At the Better Man premiere, Holly Willoughby shared a video of Robbie performing at the after-premiere party held at Lio London, during which he greeted Nicole.
Nicole and Robbie met while working on Top of the Pops in 1997 and began a whirlwind nine-month romance, during which Robbie proposed.
The official synopsis reads: “Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest artists of all time.
‘Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (‘The Greatest Showman’), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his trademark wit and indomitable spirit.
“Follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to becoming the youngest member of the hit boy band Take That, to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist, as he faces the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring”.