Pharrell Williams, the musical mastermind behind hits like ‘Happy’ and ‘Get Lucky,’ has always been notoriously private about his personal life. But in his new Lego animated documentary, ‘Piece by Piece,’ he’s finally opening up. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and offers a unique glimpse into the singer’s life, particularly his family.
Williams initially hesitated about revealing his private life for the film. He married Helen Lasichanh in 2013 and has a son named Rocket, along with three other children whose names he has kept private. “I was iffy,” he told People magazine. “I didn’t know if I really wanted to show my family. But I gave the director free rein, and I went with his direction.”
The director, Morgan Neville, is known for his work on the Oscar-winning documentary ’20 Feet from Stardom’ and ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’ about Fred Rogers. Neville’s vision for ‘Piece by Piece’ is a whimsical and creative one, using Lego bricks to animate Williams’ journey. The film is a truly unique blend of music, animation, and personal storytelling.
The documentary also features cameos from some of music’s biggest names. Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Busta Rhymes, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z, and Justin Timberlake all appear as Lego figures, voicing their own parts in the film. This adds another layer of intrigue and entertainment to the already captivating documentary.
Williams decided on the Lego animation format on the “first day” of production. He explained, “As a kid, I always played with Lego, and I always got Lego for Christmas. When Rocket was born, I got him a little Lego set, and then I started collecting Lego from all over the world.” Williams decided to use Lego to tell his story after the birth of his triplets, wanting them to understand his life journey.
“I am so grateful to God and my wife for bringing four souls into this crazy world,” Williams says. “I wanted the triplets to see their father tell his story.” ‘Piece by Piece’ promises to be a heartwarming and insightful look into the life of a musical icon, told through the creative lens of Lego animation.
