Piece by Piece

Movie Details:

Voice Cast & Characters:

• Pharrell Williams as himself
• Morgan Neville as himself
• Gwen Stefani as herself
• Kendrick Lamar as himself
• Timbaland as himself
• Justin Timberlake as himself
• Busta Rhymes as himself
• Jay-Z as himself
• Snoop Dogg as himself
• N.O.R.E. and Daft Punk also make appearances as themselves

Storyline:

The film documents Pharrell Williams’s life and musical career, incorporating Williams’s faith and expressing his artistry using Lego.

About Movie:

Piece by Piece is an American animated documentary film directed and co-produced by Morgan Neville, in his animated feature debut. It follows the life and career of American musician Pharrell Williams, who stars in the film, through the lens of Lego animation. Produced by The Lego Group, Tremolo Productions and I Am Other, Piece by Piece will mark the fifth theatrical Lego-based film and the first under Universal Pictures’s run of their film rights. Alongside Williams and Neville, the film stars the voices of Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg.

Williams had considered creating a film about his life since 2013, though serious plans for a biopic in animated musical form started in 2019 following a discussion between the musician and Neville. Development officially began later that year; following the end of The Lego Group’s partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures, the rights were transferred to Universal. Neville interviewed with Williams’ associates remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and later shot certain live-action scenes with him. The Lego Group created minifigure pieces that better represent the styles of African-American culture and Williams’s frequent collaborators and designed new pieces for music equipment. Williams, who also produced the film, wrote two original songs.

Piece by Piece premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024, and was released theatrically in the United States and Canada on October 11 through Focus Features, with Universal managing international distribution. The film has received generally positive reviews, with critics highlighting the voice acting, direction, humor, soundtrack, and animation.