The first trailer for the upcoming Milli Vanilli biopic “Girl You Know It’s True” was released on Tuesday morning.
Written and directed by Simon Verhoeven, the film will follow the “meteoric rise and tabloid-fueled fall” of the R&B duo, according to a press release obtained by People. Tijan Njie and Elan Ben Ali will star as Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan respectively with Matthias Schweighöfer playing music producer Frank Farian. Graham Rogers and Bella Dayne round out the cast.
Milli Vanilli’s Morvan and Pilatus became overnight sensations in the 1980s with the release of their songs, “Girl You Know It’s True” and “Blame It on the Rain.” Their success was short-lived, however, after it was discovered that the duo did not sing any of Milli Vanilli’s songs, instead lip-syncing to the voices of other artists. The Recording Academy revoked their Best New Artist Grammy win, according to People, and the two largely disappeared from the spotlight.
Morvan is returning to Hollywood with the release of the biopic. The 58-year-old is a co-producer on the film, serving as consultant, per People. Pilatus’ sister, Carmen Pilatus, is representing him on the film as an associate producer following the singer’s death in 1998 at the age of 33. Milli Vanilli’s former assistant Todd Headlee and Ingrid “Milli” Segieth also have associate producer credits on the film, along with one of the real singers behind Milli Vanilli’s vocals, Brad Howell.
“We are excited to release this film that delves into the true story behind the success and controversy surrounding Milli Vanilli’s legacy,” Tony Piantedosi, the svp of acquisitions for the film’s distributor, Vertical, said in a statement to People.
Recommended Stories
“Simon has created a remarkable story with the collaboration of people who lived through the ordeal,” Piantedosi added. “It is a rare treat to pull back the curtain and show audiences the real story behind the shocking headlines.”
“Girl You Know It’s True” will hit theaters on Aug. 9.
