Newcomers Tijan Njie and Elan Ben Ali meld seamlessly into the roles of Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, otherwise known as the disgraced 1980s “singing” duo Milli Vanilli, in the new trailer for biopic Girl You Know It’s True.

If you’re of a certain age, you probably know the story well–two exotic, Black European singers wowed American audiences with their looks, talent and style. But one fateful performance revealed that the two singers weren’t singers at all, but dancers who were lip syncing. The discovery destroyed the band overnight and led to even more personal tragedy years later.

Njie, who hails from Germany, and Ali, who hails from France, were found after what was described as “a year of intense casting in five countries.” Oppenheimer’s Matthias Schweighöfer also stars as German music producer and mastermind behind the group, Frank Farian. Graham Rogers and Bella Dayne also star in the Simon Verhoeven-directed film.

Here’s more about the film from the official synopsis:

The film is centered around the true story of the notorious scandal involving dancers Robert Pilatus’ and Fabrice Morvan’s rise to fame in the late 1980s as pop sensation Milli Vanilli. Orchestrated by music producer Frank Farian, they became global stars with three No. 1 hits in the US. But only a small circle of insiders know that the duo is not singing but lip syncing to the voices of two other artists. At the height of their fame, Milli Vanilli win the Grammy Award but the situation behind the scenes escalates and the pressure on Rob and Fab grows. When the truth is revealed, they stare into the abyss while the world witnesses one of the biggest scandals in music history.

Along with directing, Verhoeven also serves as screenwriter. Quirin Berg and Max Weiderman are producing with Kristen Winkler overseeing. 300 Entertainment CEO Kevin Liles, member of the US hip-hop group Numarx who originally created Milli Vanilli’s hit song, Girl You Know It’s True, serves as executive producer. Brad Howell, one of the singers behind Milli Vanilli, is also producing with Jasmin Davis, the daughter of the late John Davis, another “true voice” behind the group. Carmen Pilatus, the sister of the late Rob Pilatus, associate produces with Milli Vanilli’s former assistant Todd Headlee and Ingrid “Milli” Segieth, who worked closely with Farian.

“Girl You Know It’s True is captivating on so many levels,” said Verhoeven in a previous statement. “It not only tells the spectacular rise of two underdogs making it to the zenith of showbiz within one summer, it also gives a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of that illusory world of fame and its sometimes tragic and unscrupulous machinations. Personally, I think Rob and Fab did not deserve to become the sole scapegoats of this scandal.”

Berg, who serves as Leonine Studios’ chief creative officer and chief production officer, also said, “Girl You Know It’s True comes from the heart of a decade when MTV planted its flag on the moon and we were able to see music, not just listen to it. Our film celebrates Rob and Fab and what they achieved with Milli Vanilli and at the same time Simon’s fantastic screenplay also captures the complexity and ultimately tragic dimension that came with it. He offers not just an immensely entertaining take on the story but also a layer of critical reflection that asks many questions which seem more relevant today than ever. It took many years to secure the music rights and it’s a huge milestone to see this project in production now.”

Girl You Know It’s True comes to theaters Aug. 9, 2024.

Tijan Njie

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