Milli Vanilli biopic
First trailer with Matthias Schweighöfer
Matthias Schweighöfer as Frank Farian in the Milli Vanilli biopic “Girl You Know It’s True”.
© LEONINE Studios/Wiedemann & Berg Film/Gordon Timpen
Matthias Schweighöfer is Frank Farian. At least in the Milli Vanilli biopic “Girl You Know It’s True.” Now there is the first trailer.
It was probably the biggest scandal that has ever shaken the German music industry: On December 21st, the story about the pop duo Milli Vanilli and its producer Frank Farian (82) will be in cinemas. A trailer published in the “Bild” newspaper now provides the first glimpse of the biopic, in which Matthias Schweighöfer (42) takes on the role of the music maker Farian. The film “Girl You Know It’s True”, which was named after the biggest hit of the duo Rob Pilatus (1964-1998) and Fab Morvan (57), traces the incredible rise and the deep fall after the fraud became known.
In addition to Schweighöfer, the former “Everything that counts” star Tijan Njie (30) and the French actor Elan Ben Ali, who were selected in an elaborate casting process, play the leading roles. Successful filmmaker Simon Verhoeven (51, “Männerherzen”) takes over as director. Producer and Oscar winner Quirin Berg (45, “The Lives of Others”) gives insights into the preparations for the film in an interview with the “Bild” newspaper: “For Simon Verhoeven and me, Matthias was the perfect fit right from the start, long before I called Matthias.”
He was very relieved that the actor freaked out after the first two sentences and explained: “I have to play the legendary music producer Frank Farian!” Schweighöfer worked “incredibly into the role,” said Berg. He studied Frank in detail. However, a meeting could not take place due to the corona pandemic because Farian lives in Miami. “Matthias delivers this role excellently and those were Frank Farian’s first words when he saw the film for the first time,” continued Berg.
The deep fall of Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli conquered the global charts at the end of the 80s and were also able to make a name for themselves in the USA with three number one hits. At the peak of their work, they were even awarded a Grammy for “Best New Artist” in 1990. But a little later the first rumors started circulating that the artists Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan would not sing themselves, but would only move their lips in sync with playback recordings.
When the playback tape stopped during a live performance, they were exposed and subsequently had to give up their Grammy again. Munich-born Rob Pilatus died in 1998 at the age of just 33 from heart failure, presumably as a result of an overdose of alcohol and drugs. The Frenchman Fab Morvan was also never able to build on the success of Milli Vanilli and lived in seclusion in Los Angeles. In 2004, Morvan took part in the RTL show “I’m a Star – Get Me Out of Here!” part, accompanied by comeback attempts.