Pharrell Williams has given us unforgettable hits but his new Lego-animated biopic reveals the visionary artist like never before. Directed by Oscar-winner Morgan Neville, Piece by Piece takes us inside Pharrell’s colourful world, showing how he built a career—literally and figuratively—brick by brick. Film journalist E. Nina Rothe caught up with him at a recent preview screening in London.
Director Morgan Neville's PIECE BY PIECE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Those of us who enjoy watching a film, or visiting a beautiful piece of art from time to time know all about the endorphins — “feel good” hormones — those activities unleash. But nothing feels as great, and creates as many emotions and memories within us, as listening to a beloved song. I still remember as a teenager riding in the car with my mom and playing ‘I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)’ by Hall & Oates on full volume, and the two of us singing along. To this day if I hear the American singing duo, it takes me back to those good ol’ times.
As a musician, Pharrell Williams has probably single handedly created the soundtrack of most of our lives. Who doesn’t get a boost of joy when ‘Happy’ from Despicable Me comes on, or feel ‘Hella Good’ with a play of the No Doubt track that Pharrell produced? And don’t even get me started on ‘Get Lucky’ where the American singer, producer and entrepreneur joined Daft Punk and Nile Rogers in what has become an anthem dedicated to meeting the kind of people with whom you immediately connect. I was today years old when I found out he even produced the McDonald’s jingle ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ which was later recorded as a full track by Justin Timberlake.
Now, a new animated musical biopic directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville focuses on the life and creative process of the wondrous musical artist, who is also the current menswear Creative Director at fashion brand Louis Vuitton. The film, which will hit UK theatres on November 8th, is titled Piece by Piece, like one of Pharrell’s best loved songs, and is told entirely in Lego animation. Yes, that Lego! And you know what, it works perfectly, as Pharrell has always seen the world around him, and music too, in shades of bright colours and fantastical shapes.
During a preview screening in London last week, which also featured a special Q&A with the music and fashion star moderated by actor and comedian Ben Bailey Smith, Pharrell admitted that, when he was asked about doing a documentary on his life, his initial reaction was “I just didn’t want to do a documentary. I’ve heard my voice before, seen myself many times, it’s voicemail syndrome and it’s not fun. Imagine listening to a voicemail of yours for an hour!” He then continued "but when my agent said you can do it any way you want and I was like ok, let’s use the best documentarian, and I wanna do it in Lego.” The best documentarian turned out to of course be Neville, the man behind such gems like the Oscar-winning 20 Feet from Stardom, about back-up singers, and Won’t You Be My Neighbor, featuring the life of American children TV host Fred Rogers — but also the upcoming Paul and Linda McCartney bio doc Man on the Run. And Lego was also a no-brainer for Pharrell, “all my kids, that’s what we got them, Lego sets and that’s what I played with as a little boy,” he said, concluding that the film “literally just fell into place when we decided what we wanted to do.”
Pharrell WIlliams in London © E. Nina Rothe.
From Pharrell’s childhood in Virginia Beach (born the eldest of three sons of Carolyn and Pharoah Williams) to his chance meeting at “genius” camp with Chad Hugo, (the talented producer and other half of The Neptunes who were named after a statue of King Neptune on the camp’s beach), and his visions of bright colours in the music he listened to, Piece by Piece highlights it all, poignantly and in a touching way, and all thanks to the Lego animation. I mean, how could you talk of days gone by and places that have changed without the help of an artistic tool like animation? And the Lego angle brings an extra dose of genius to the film. Gone are the talking heads and archival footage of typical documentaries, and in comes what Pharrell called “seeing yourself in a story 'objectified' in Lego — yes 'objectified’,” he conceded, “it’s a bad word when it’s applied to our women but we flipped that concept on its head in the film because we objectified myself in the story, Lego-fied if you will — allowed me to look past the flaws I saw in the mirror and in the clips.”
Turns out that Pharrell is also quite an inspiration when it comes to understanding our shortcomings and clearly appears to have struggled with issues of self esteem himself in the past. One wonders why, with his talent and fashionable good looks, but his is a lesson to learn and repeat, almost like a mantra. “I want for all human beings to know that you have an opportunity right now. Right now, to realise that whatever is super dear and important to you is your dream. And you should never stop believing and never stop going for it and building it — literally “piece by piece—Whether you’re 8 or you’re 80 years old.”
In fact, a lot of what Pharrell says could be put into a self-help book or maybe even form the outline of a cult - a positive, joy-building one that is.
His words of encouragement continued, directed at us, his audience for this magical screening. “Right now, with all due love and respect and appreciation for you all being here, I’d argue that most people here are not liberated, and what I mean by that is that your life is so distracted and so interrupted by your fears — you’re carrying them around every day,” he said. Then continued “but imagine your life without them — your fears, your flaws, your insecurities, the guilt, the pressure. Imagine your life uninterrupted. And my whole thing is, it’s never too late! Now is a much better word than never.“
Enlisting the help of his collaborators, and those whose songs he helped produce throughout the years, Pharrell is surrounded by “Lego-fied,” to quote the artist, versions of Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T, Justin Timberlake and more, their voices taking on a whole new tone. Reminiscing about the music his parents listened to, while he was growing up — artists like Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire and Michael Jackson “they were still The Jacksons at that time,” Pharrell confessed, “it’s not that music is not magical now, it’s just different — I’m an analog kid. I remember what life was when there wasn’t a cellphone. We were so much more engaged with physical activities.” Turning to the audience, he continued, “the phones definitely have changed people, most don’t realise it, but everybody is a couple of degrees more selfish and lots of degrees impatient. And most of your opinions don’t start with you. Most of your opinions start with different areas, the people you talk to and the social platforms you are involved in.” It’s like, “if you were born on land, most other people are under digital water,” he concluded.
Pharrell Williams and Snoop Dogg, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
When asked if getting to the top, or remaining there has been harder, Pharrell replied, "I’ve always been used to people not getting it. It happens all the time, still. I live a little bit ahead of now,” continuing, "I love being creative and I don’t think I’ve ever thought “What’s next?” and I’m very grateful I’ve never thought that before. I’m a perpetual student and perpetually curious and I’m inspired to keep going.”
Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams in director Morgan Neville's PIECE BY PIECE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Finally, about being a dad, Pharrell admitted he’s not frightened of what is ahead, “the world is a crazy place but I do believe in the universe and what the universe has in store for you, no man could ever get in a way of. That’s where I net out. Do I have some moments when I’m sort of concerned and start doing the probability of what can happen math? That’s unnerving but I know that the universe has brought us too far to drop us off here.”
Piece by Piece opens in UK cinemas on November 8, 2024.
By E. Nina Rothe. Check out all of her amazing platforms! https://www.eninarothe.com/
Interested in reading more articles? Check out all our other pieces, and subscribe to our Substack for a weekly blog!