Why Pharrell Didn’t Tell Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani and More A-Listers He’d Be Turning Them Into Legos for His Documentary

As an admirer of creative visionaries who dare to defy the norms of storytelling, I find myself utterly captivated by Pharrell Williams and his groundbreaking documentary, “Piece by Piece.” The use of Legos as a medium for self-expression and storytelling is not only innovative but also deeply personal, reflecting Williams’ childhood passion that has since blossomed into a universal language of creativity.


At the beginning of “Piece by Piece,” a unique documentary directed by Morgan Neville, Pharrell Williams shares that he finds the most effective method for self-expression to be through building with Legos.

Williams shared during the Toronto Film Festival that as a child he received Lego sets, which served as an incredible outlet for his creativity to grow and helped him discover more about himself. This experience is one that many kids, along with countless others around the world, have had – over millions on this planet.

In contrast to typical documentaries which are usually shot by the directors themselves, collaborating with the toy company granted Williams and his team “a creative freedom that might not have been possible otherwise.” He described creating the Lego-animated documentary as a “unique challenge.

Why Pharrell Didn’t Tell Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani and More A-Listers He’d Be Turning Them Into Legos for His Documentary

The upcoming movie, set to release on October 11 by Focus Features and Universal Pictures, includes conversational interviews and storyline segments involving some of Williams’ longtime associates. Remarkably, Williams gathered a top-tier lineup for “Piece by Piece,” which features artists like Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Pusha-T, and Timbaland. However, he didn’t disclose to them that they would be portrayed as Lego figures in the film.

Williams mentioned that they intentionally kept the end result a secret, allowing people to respond naturally without any prior knowledge or expectations about the project being a Lego production. This was done to gather genuine, unfiltered reactions from the interviewees, as revealing the context might have influenced their responses. The film’s unique charm and vibrancy, Williams believes, is largely due to its authenticity and lack of scripting.

Williams emphasized his preference for the interviews’ tone not to be influenced by the film’s artistic aesthetic, its general audience rating, or its wide appeal.

Williams stated, ‘It might have seemed as though we were creating this for children, but actually, we’re not. We’re crafting it for all human beings.’ Despite being a Black man from an underrepresented group, our intention was to make the story relatable to everyone. That’s why we chose Lego as the medium to tell it.

Williams shared that when the documentary participants found out they’d be depicted as Lego figures, everyone reacted with delight and showed great encouragement.

This movie has been a culmination of numerous affirmative responses. Coming from my background and looking like me, I’ve heard more than my fair share of negatives. However, Morgan Neville, Lego, Focus, Universal, and even the universe itself said ‘yes’. When people inquire about this project, I respond, ‘We’re working on the seemingly impossible.’ This endeavor is almost unattainable.

EbMaster‘s Toronto Film Festival studio is sponsored by J.Crew and SharkNinja.

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2024-09-10 20:47