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- Fame rewires brain pathways, affecting identity and decision-making via neuroplasticity.
- The self-medication hypothesis links celebrity addiction to emotional dysregulation from fame.
- Adolescents’ growing desire for fame stems more from recognition than accomplishment.
- Parasocial relationships with celebrities shape public perception and emotional expectations.
- CGI in Better Man visualizes emotional fragmentation and memory distortion in real time.
In Better Man, the Robbie Williams biopic redefines the celebrity narrative by plunging audiences into an immersive, psychologically rich experience that mixes stylized CGI with fragmented storytelling. Rather than simply portray chronological life events, the Better Man movie looks at deep questions of fame and identity—offering insight into the emotional and mental costs of being persistently seen, adored, and misunderstood. Through memory, emotion, and cinematic metaphor, this film invites a conversation not just about stardom, but about who we become when we’re seen more than we see ourselves.
Fame as a Psychological Construct
In modern culture, fame is equated with success. But psychologists argue that fame may be better understood as a distortion rather than a destination. When a person becomes famous, they step into a place of external validation that constantly redefines their self-concept. This paradox is amplified when we consider the prevalence of fame-seeking as a psychological goal, particularly among younger generations.
A landmark study by Greenwood et al. (2013) found that 70% of adolescents want to become famous—not necessarily for talent or achievement, but for the influence and visibility it offers. This reveals a cultural shift: fame is now seen as a pathway to significance, not fulfillment. Psychological research adds that this craving is often linked to feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and chronic anxiety. Fame becomes an addictive mirage—visible but never truly grasped.
This phenomenon aligns with more clinical definitions of self-monitoring and extrinsic validation. Celebrities often learn to anticipate public feedback and shape their persona accordingly, reinforcing a fragile loop where identity depends on approval rather than intrinsic values.
Memory and the Unreliable Narrator of the Self
Better Man trades chronological storytelling for a fragmented, surreal style that mimics the human memory process. Memory doesn’t function as a video recorder; neuroscience has shown that it’s a reconstructive process influenced by emotion, current beliefs, and even mood. Schacter (2012) explains that every time we recall a memory, we effectively rewrite it, sometimes altering the original experience unconsciously.
This is crucial in understanding autobiographical storytelling through biopics, especially in a Robbie Williams biopic where trauma, fame, and personal growth intersect. Williams isn’t simply retelling his story—he’s thinking back on it, and his memory is both the author and the unreliable narrator.
The film leans into this idea by using dreamlike CGI transitions, disjointed timelines, and surreal set designs. These aesthetic choices aren’t random; they symbolically represent the slippery ground of thinking back on life under the spotlight, where private emotions clash with public narratives.
The Role of CGI in Representing Internal Experience
The use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in Better Man isn’t just visual flair—it functions as a psychological language. Traditional biopics may rely on props, timelines, and recreations to depict events, but Williams’ story demands a more abstract palette.
By using vivid transitions, morphing environments, and expressive visual effects, the Better Man movie turns inner turmoil into aesthetic visuals. Feelings of dissociation, anxiety, and collapse are not told—they’re shown through shifting realities that reflect his mental state. This aligns with therapeutic models like Internal Family Systems (IFS), where fragmented aspects of the self are visualized and interacted with, sometimes even named or expressed through metaphor.
Through visual effects, we enter the subjective viewpoint of Robbie Williams—not just what happened to him, but how every moment felt from within. The result is a powerful cinematic method for trauma processing and self-understanding.
Dissociation and the Fame Persona
One of the core psychological consequences of fame is dissociation—the subconscious separation between the authentic self and the performed self. Celebrities often live a dual existence: the intimate reality of who they are and the public projection of who the world believes them to be.
Research supports this split. A 2022 study by Schmidt & Pakenham found that influencers and public figures frequently experience reductions in perceived authenticity. These identity tensions are closely associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and burnout. In performances where the identity itself becomes a brand, emotional numbing and mental compartmentalization become survival strategies.
In Better Man, dissociation is rendered both in tone and theme. Robbie’s “persona” and “private self” are often shown as distinct entities—contrasting his charismatic stage presence with quiet, often chaotic introspection. The split isn’t just dramatic—it’s deeply human.
Mirror Stage of Celebrity: Seeing Yourself Through Others
Jacques Lacan’s concept of the “mirror stage” provides a useful framework for understanding celebrity psychology. According to Lacan, we develop self-identity based on how we think others perceive us. In everyday individuals, this mirror is limited—family, friends, colleagues. But for celebrities, the mirror is a mass projection—a combination of media narratives, interviews, fan interpretations, and public scrutiny.
For Robbie Williams, the constant broadcast of his image likely contributed to an identity crisis wherein the version of himself projected by the media started to overshadow the one he privately cultivated. Trapped in layers of exaggeration and expectation, the real self risks becoming invisible.
Better Man creatively addresses this idea. Scenes where Robbie encounters exaggerated or stylized versions of himself symbolize the internal conflict between accepted identity and personal truth. The battle isn’t between fame and privacy—it’s between becoming someone for others and remaining someone for oneself.
The Paradox of Visibility: Loneliness in the Spotlight
Fame gives the illusion of constant connection, but many celebrities experience profound isolation. Surrounded by fans, followers, and media, they’re often deprived of the sincerity that intimate connections require. Sociologist David Giles (2010) pointed out that public recognition can alienate rather than affirm, leaving celebrities in a world where they are seen by many but truly known by none.
Williams’ experience echoes this. In moments of raw vulnerability depicted in Better Man, we see a man debilitated by loneliness—alone in crowds, unheard in interviews, and abandoned behind backstage doors. Fame amplified the echo chamber but didn’t offer refuge from the self.
The film artfully portrays this loneliness through tonal shifts, silence between dialogue, and scenes of surreal emptiness against grand stages. It asks us to consider: What is the true price of being known by millions but understood by no one?
Elusive Authenticity in Celebrity Culture
Authenticity—the alignment of one’s inner values and outward actions—is often at odds with the performative demands of fame. Psychologists Kernis & Goldman (2006) define authenticity as self-awareness, transparency, and self-expression. But in the world of celebrity, staying authentic can feel like a transgression.
Better Man looks deeply into this battleground of identity. Robbie oscillates between moments of raw truth and performative behavior, revealing a tug-of-war between being accepted and being real. We see the cost of “keeping up appearances” when genuine feelings go unspoken for the sake of image.
In celebrity culture, authenticity is both rewarded and punished. Stars are praised for “being real” one day, then chastised for expressing vulnerability the next. This creates a no-win scenario that fractures identity development and impedes psychological growth.
Fame and Addiction: Coping Mechanisms in the Limelight
Robbie Williams has candidly discussed his struggles with addiction—a topic portrayed with raw candor in Better Man. Psychiatrists explain this dynamic using the self-medication hypothesis, which posits that substance abuse often arises as an autonomous attempt to soothe emotional pain and regulate dysregulated affective states (Khantzian, 1997).
For Williams, the toxic cocktail of pressure, public judgment, emotional isolation, and trauma combined into a perfect storm. Substance use, in this context, becomes less about vice and more about escape—a desperate reach for stability in a volatile existence.
The film doesn’t glamorize this darkness. Instead, it showcases the emotional triggers, the recurring spirals, and ultimately, the profound effort required to heal. It is a portrait of addiction as a symptom, not a defining trait.
The Illusion of Fame as Success
Success is often measured in metrics—wealth, influence, awards. But these external signs don’t always indicate internal well-being. In fact, psychological studies suggest that once basic needs are met, additional fame or material gain bears little effect on life satisfaction (Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2002).
Better Man confronts this head-on. Scenes of robust applause are followed by moments of panic and melancholy. The contrast exposes the myth of fame as fulfillment. For Williams, public success seemed inversely proportional to personal peace.
This insight urges audiences to reevaluate the societal definition of “making it.” Perhaps the true measure of a life well-lived isn’t admiration from others—but coherence, healing, and internal congruence.
Fame, Neuroplasticity, and Identity Formation
Neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural pathways—suggests that consistent external feedback, such as fan praise or criticism, can actually reshape the brain’s self-referential circuits. Over time, a person in the public eye may come to see themselves largely through their audience’s reactions.
In Better Man, we observe this transformation subtly. Early moments of youthful exuberance give way to fragmented self-concept and hyper-vigilant perception. The neuroplastic consequences of celebrity life—especially on decision-making, self-esteem, and impulse regulation—are depicted symbolically but connect neurologically.
These changes aren’t just behavioral—they’re biological, underscoring the profound long-term psychological effects of sustained public attention.
Biopics as Self-Narrative Therapy
Creating or starring in a biopic can serve as one form of narrative therapy—a way to externalize, understand, and reframe the meaning of past experiences. Psychologists White & Epston (1990) propose that re-authoring one’s story creates new options for identity and agency.
Better Man acts as one such therapeutic tool for Robbie Williams. By participating in the cinematic retelling of his life, Williams is reclaiming authorship from tabloids, gossip, and press clippings. In doing so, he confronts both joy and shame from a higher perspective.
This isn’t propaganda—it’s catharsis. It’s a man literally visualizing his history in an effort to free himself from it.
Audience Empathy and Parasocial Bonds
One key challenge celebrities face is the formation of parasocial relationships—unilateral emotional bonds formed by fans who feel they intimately know a public figure. These attachments can have staggering emotional consequences on both sides.
Better Man complicates this illusion of intimacy by letting us in—even as it shows us our limitations. We may feel emotionally connected to Robbie, but only through what is selectively revealed. This balance between intimacy and distance is both powerful and jarring—reminding us that empathy does not equal access.
By reflecting on our own roles as audience members, we are reminded that behind every icon is not just a performer, but a person who cannot be known through the screen alone.
Collective Identity and the Culture of Spectacle
Fame is not earned in a vacuum—it results from a collective cultural moment. We, as a society, choose who to put forward, project onto, and scrutinize. Celebrities are both created and consumed by public fascination.
The Better Man movie critiques our infatuation with spectacle by illustrating the human cost of symbolic living. Robbie is not just a man—he’s an avatar for ambition, rebellion, and vulnerability. But these projections often leave no space for Robbie the person.
This layer of social commentary pushes us to consider how collective desires shape individual lives—and how transformation must often occur away from our gaze.
Rediscovering the “Better” Man Through Neuroscience
The title Better Man isn’t just sentimental—it acknowledges the question of potential. Beneath fame, persona, and addiction lies the question: Can I become someone more whole than I was allowed to be?
Through neuroplastic growth, emotional healing, and narrative reframing, Better Man answers yes. Fame may distort—but identity can rebound. By going through memory, performance, and breakdown, Robbie Williams reminds us that every life, no matter how public, is still deeply personal.
References
- Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2002). Will money increase subjective well-being? Social Indicators Research, 57, 119–169.
- Giles, D. (2010). Psychology of the media. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Khantzian, E. J. (1997). The self-medication hypothesis of substance use disorders: A reconsideration and recent applications. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 4(5), 231–244.
- Kernis, M. H., & Goldman, B. M. (2006). A multicomponent conceptualization of authenticity: Theory and research. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 283–357.
- Schacter, D. L. (2012). Adaptive constructive processes and the future of memory. American Psychologist, 67(8), 603–613.
- Schmidt, J., & Pakenham, K. (2022). The psychological cost of the performance self: A study on authenticity and mental health in influencers. Journal of Social Media in Society, 11(1), 40–62.
- White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. Norton.
