Robbie Williams' Oscars Disqualification Over Song Similarities Confirmed

The Academy ruled that the song 'Forbidden Road' from Williams' biopic 'Better Man' violated eligibility rules due to its resemblance to a 1973 track.

• Robbie Williams' song 'Forbidden Road,' featured in his biopic 'Better Man,' was disqualified from the 2025 Oscars shortlist for Best Original Song.
• The Academy determined the track incorporated material from the 1973 song 'I Got a Name,' written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, making it ineligible under category rules.
• Williams responded to the decision during the Golden Globes, stating, 'The rules is the rules,' and expressing no hard feelings about the outcome.
• 'Forbidden Road' retained its Golden Globes nomination but lost to 'El Mal' from the film 'Emilia Pérez' at the January 5 ceremony.
• The biopic 'Better Man,' directed by Michael Gracey, features Williams portrayed as a CGI monkey and will have a wide theatrical release on January 17, 2025.

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