Pharrell Williams has expressed deep gratitude to Lego for partnering on his upcoming animated documentary, ‘Piece by Piece’, which is set to premiere in theaters on October 11. During a recent special screening, the 13-time Grammy winner highlighted the importance of having the opportunity to share his story, especially as a Black man from a marginalized community, according to Deadline.
Williams specifically thanked Jill Wilfert, Lego’s head of global entertainment, for taking a chance on his unconventional narrative. Reflecting on the significance of this support, he remarked, “I don’t want to make it all heavy, but she said yes to a Black man’s story. When I was young, that’s my origin story,” emphasizing the power of representation in storytelling.
Over the past decade, Lego has made a name for itself in animated features with hits like ‘The Lego Movie’ (2014) and its subsequent sequels. However, ‘Piece by Piece’ diverges from these previous projects, offering a deeply personal look into Pharrell’s life. As he explained, “Lego could have said no. I’m Black, in case you hadn’t figured that out. But they said yes. I’m not Batman. This is not Harry Potter intellectual property. It’s just me, from Virginia. But they said yes,” underscoring the uniqueness of this collaboration.
The documentary, directed by Morgan Neville, uses Lego animation to bring Williams’ journey to life, from his beginnings in Virginia to his rise as an influential artist and producer. Pharrell revealed that he was initially hesitant about creating a documentary, saying, “I didn’t want to do a documentary. The minute that I agreed to, I knew I wanted it to be in Lego and I wanted Morgan to be the storyteller. I turned it over to him,” as reported by Deadline.
The film is enriched by contributions from notable artists including Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Gwen Stefani, Busta Rhymes, and Snoop Dogg, adding depth and a diverse perspective to the narrative. This collaborative effort aims to deliver a fresh and innovative approach to biographical storytelling.
