LEONINE, Wiedemann & Berg Prep Milli Vanilli Biopic

LEONINE Studios and Wiedemann & Berg Film have revealed new details about the upcoming biopic Girl You Know It’s True, centered on the true story behind the pop duo Milli Vanilli.

After a year of casting across five countries, newcomers Tijan Njie from Germany and Elan Ben Ali from France are set to portray the lead roles of the Milli Vanilli front men Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan.

Matthias Schweighöfer (Oppenheimer, Heart of Stone, Army of the Dead) is starring as German music producer Frank Farian. The cast also includes Graham Rogers (Ray Donovan, The Kominsky Method, Atypical) as Milli Vanilli’s U.S. assistant Todd and Bella Dayne (Humans, Troy—Fall of a City) as Milli, Farian’s right hand.

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 Milli Vanilli.

Simon Verhoeven is directing, based on his original screenplay of the same name. Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann (The Lives of Others, Never Look Away, Dark) are producing. Producer Kirstin Winkler (2012, 10,000 BC, Anonymous) is overseeing production.

The film is produced by LEONINE Studios and Wiedemann & Berg Film, in co-production with Sentana Film, SevenPictures and Mediawan. All rights are with LEONINE Studios.

Verhoeven said: “Girl You Know It’s True is captivating on so many levels. 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.”

Quirin Berg, chief creative officer and chief production officer of LEONINE Studios, 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.”