See" Piece by Piece" Cast Side by Side with LEGO Versions: Pharrell Williams, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake and More

09/10/2024 20:31

JAY-Z, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Kendrick Lamar and more show up in LEGO form in 'Piece by Piece'

Pharrell Williams and his music-industry pals tell his remarkable life story via LEGO animation in Piece by Piece.

The unique biopic is directed by Oscar winner Morgan Neville and takes fans on what an official logline calls a "vibrant journey through the life" of "one of music's most innovative minds," rapper-singer-songwriter Williams, 51.

Stars who make appearances in the film — in LEGO form, of course — include Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, JAY-Z, Snoop Dogg and more.

Each recorded their interviews for the documentary without knowing it would be later animated in LEGOs, Williams explained to Variety: "We purposely did not tell anyone that that would be the finished product. We wanted people to just answer the questions and really give their full, unedited reactions to the opportunity to do the interviews.... Part of the magic of what makes this film pop the way it does is because it's so vivid and it's not scripted."

Read on to see how the artists look in LEGO form. Piece by Piece is in theaters Oct. 11.

Pharrell Williams

Williams recently told PEOPLE the decision to use LEGO to tell his story was made "day one" of the development process. 

"It's what I always played with when I was young. It's what I would get for Christmas. And then when we had our first [child], Rocket, I would always send him little LEGO sets or pick them up, rather, from different places around the world," said the artist, who has four kids with wife Helen Lasichanh.

"Right around that time we had just had the triplets, I knew that I wanted the triplets to hear and understand my story too. So it just all made sense, you know what I mean? I wanted it so that they could see Dad tell his story."

Gwen Stefani

Stefani, 55, collaborated with Williams on the 2005 song "Can I Have It Like That" and the Paddington movie tune "Shine." Plus, they've both been coaches on The Voice, and Williams co-wrote Stefani's hit "Hollaback Girl."

JAY-Z

Williams and JAY-Z, 54, worked together on songs like "Frontin'" and "Excuse Me Miss."

Williams told The Hollywood Reporter about his process for writing songs for other established artists, "I channel their energy and oftentimes they get it, and oftentimes they don't get it and they pass. For me, I know I'm pretending that I'm this person, doing what I think they should be doing, and I get connected to that part, not how I actually sound."

Justin Timberlake

Williams and Timberlake, 43, are frequent collaborators, all the way back to the *NSYNC days with "Girlfriend." Williams also had his hand in "Rock Your Body" and more Timberlake hits, including contributions to his 2018 album Man of the Woods.

For Williams' 50th birthday in 2023, Timberlake wrote on Instagram, "HBD to my brother @pharrell. I've been around for almost half of the 50, and I gotta say, you're just getting started."

Kendrick Lamar

One song of Lamar's that Williams was involved in putting together is his iconic "Alright." Williams told Zane Lowe during a 2022 Apple Music 1 interview that rapper Lamar, 37, is "one of the greatest writers of our times."

"He knows that stickiness is important, and he knows that it has to feel great," Williams added of Lamar, who will be the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show performer in February.

Busta Rhymes

"Pharrell is a god to me," Busta (born Trevor Smith Jr.), 52, said in a 2023 interview. "When I say the man has done things for me, besides the incredible music that we've made, besides the friendship conversations...."

The rapper shared that during times when "I needed to make some changes" and "serious" ones, personally and professionally, Williams was "one of the few friends" who helped him get "back to my happiness."

N.O.R.E.

The rapper N.O.R.E. and Williams are longtime collaborators who've had songs like "Nothin'" and "Like The Way" together.

On Instagram, N.O.R.E., 47, wrote about Piece by Piece, "Congrats to my brother @pharrell this is so dope so proud of u and u didn't even tell me u was making me a Lego piece!!! Can't wait to see it!! And I'm the only Lego getting champagne happy!!!"

Daft Punk

The Grammy-winning electronic duo, who famously wear helmets to mask their identities, collaborated with Williams on the memorable tune "Get Lucky."

"With 'Get Lucky,' the Robots [a.k.a. Daft Punk] asked me to write a song. I'm thinking I'm writing a song for somebody else to sing, and if I would've written it for me it probably wouldn't have been as big because I would've written for my ego," Williams told THR. "When that s--- blew up, I was like, 'Whoa! Okay, hold on.' And that humbled me."

Snoop Dogg

Williams and Snoop, 52, of course, made the iconic song "Drop It Like It's Hot" with each other.

Snoop told The Guardian in 2015, "When I work with Pharrell he allows me to be me but also gives me great direction on which is the best me. He loves to critique me, and he loves to take criticism. It makes it challenging in the studio — and I like to be challenged."

Pusha T

Aside from music, Pusha T, 47, also admires Williams for his fashion impact. The rapper told GQ, "He's the strongest individual. Because when I think about him and I look at him, he's not only my friend, but he's always been a fashion icon to me. He's always been this guy who was forward-thinking."

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