Pharrell Williams | Biography, Songs, Happy, Movies, & Facts

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class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pharrell-Williams">Pharrell Williams</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/biography/Pharrell-Williams">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref385807"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Pharrell-Williams#ref385807">Early life and career with the Neptunes</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref385808"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Pharrell-Williams#ref385808">N.E.R.D., early solo work, and <em>Despicable Me</em></a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref385809"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Pharrell-Williams#ref385809">“Blurred Lines” and “Get Lucky”</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref385810"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Pharrell-Williams#ref385810">“Happy,” <em>G I R L</em>, and other music projects</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref385811"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Pharrell-Williams#ref385811">Acting</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref385812"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Pharrell-Williams#ref385812">Fashion projects</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pharrell-Williams/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Pharrell-Williams">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pharrell-Williams/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex 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She spent most of the next 42 years working as a copy editor and editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She retired...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Pat Bauer</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-15T00:00:00CST" >Nov 15, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pharrell-Williams/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>April 5, 1973, <a href="/place/Virginia-Beach">Virginia Beach</a>, <a href="/place/Virginia-state">Virginia</a>, U.S. (age 51)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Awards And Honors: </dt> <dd><a href="/art/Grammy-Award">Grammy Award (2014)</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Works: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Happy-Pharrell-Williams-song">“Happy”</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Pharrell-Williams"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/2002684/602c9804346dfd487b13d81dac330977" rel="nofollow">Rauw Alejandro on Puerto Rico, salsa and working with Pharrell on his new album</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 15, 2024, 11:52 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1221512"></span>Pharrell Williams</strong> (born April 5, 1973, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Virginia-Beach" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Virginia Beach</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Virginia-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Virginia</a>, U.S.) is an American musician who was involved in a number of pop hits as part of the producing team the Neptunes, as a songwriter, as a member of the band N.E.R.D., and as a solo performer. He also is known for his musical contributions to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/motion-picture" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">films</a>, especially his hit song “Happy” for the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/animation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">animated</a> movie <em>Despicable Me 2</em> (2013).</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref385807"> <h2 class="h1">Early life and career with the Neptunes</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Williams was a percussionist in his school band when he was a child, and he found a kindred spirit in saxophonist <span id="ref1232877"></span>Chad Hugo. Williams and Hugo devoted themselves to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/music" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">music</a> and beat production and in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/high-school" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">high school</a> began calling themselves <span id="ref1232878"></span>the Neptunes. A scout for music producer <span id="ref1254869"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Teddy-Riley" class="md-crosslink ">Teddy Riley</a>, who had recently opened a recording studio near the high school that Williams attended, heard the Neptunes perform at a school talent show and brought them to Riley’s attention. In 1992 Williams wrote a verse for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/hip-hop" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">hip-hop</a> group Wreckx-n-Effect’s most-popular single, “Rump Shaker,” and the Neptunes produced the track “Tonight’s the Night” on the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="eponymous" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eponymous" data-type="MW">eponymous</a> debut album (1994) of Riley’s vocal group Blackstreet.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The Neptunes were soon in demand as hip-hop producers and writers, with a signature style that mixed influences from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/soul-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">soul</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/rock-and-roll-early-style-of-rock-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">rock</a>, and other musical <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="genres" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genres" data-type="MW">genres</a>. Neptunes-produced hits include Noreaga’s “Superthug” (1998), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-J-Blige" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mary J. Blige</a>’s “Steal Away” (2001), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Britney-Spears" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Britney Spears</a>’s “I’m a Slave 4 U” (2001), Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” (2002), <span id="ref1232896"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Justin-Timberlake" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Justin Timberlake</a>’s “Rock Your Body” (2003), Kelis’s “Milkshake” (2003), and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Snoop-Dogg" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Snoop Dogg</a>’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” (2004). Williams, often assisted by Hugo, penned the lyrics for many of those songs as well.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/pop-culture-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/65/129465-131-8F637272/USA-Annual-Academy-Awards-Closeup-entrance-statue-2009.jpg" alt="USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Pop Culture Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 2004 Timberlake’s Neptunes-produced album <em>Justified</em> won the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Grammy-Award" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Grammy Award</a> for best pop vocal album, and the Neptunes were named producer of the year (nonclassical). The Neptunes were also among the producers contributing to <span id="ref1232897"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mariah-Carey" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mariah Carey</a>’s 2005 album <em>The Emancipation of MiMi</em>, which won a Grammy for best contemporary <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/rhythm-and-blues" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">R&B</a> album.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref385808"> <h2 class="h1">N.E.R.D., early solo work, and <em>Despicable Me</em></h2> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 2001 Williams and Hugo joined with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/rap" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">rap</a> artist Shay to form the band <span id="ref1232898"></span>N.E.R.D. The collaboration resulted in four <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="eclectic" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eclectic" data-type="MW">eclectic</a> albums of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/rhythm-and-blues" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">rhythm and blues</a>, rap, pop, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/rock-music" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">rock</a> music: <em>In Search of…</em> (2002), <em>Fly or Die</em> (2004), <em>Seeing Sounds</em> (2008), and <em>Nothing</em> (2010). Williams also struck out on his own with the 2003 single “Frontin’ ” and the 2006 album <em>In My Mind</em>. He branched out into soundtrack <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="composition" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/composition" data-type="MW">composition</a> as well, scoring the animated film <em><span id="ref1232900"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Despicable-Me" class="md-crosslink ">Despicable Me</a></em> (2010). Noted composer <span id="ref1232880"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hans-Zimmer" class="md-crosslink ">Hans Zimmer</a> produced the score, and the two <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="collaborated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collaborated" data-type="MW">collaborated</a> again on the music that was played at the 2012 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Academy-Award" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Academy Awards</a> ceremony.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h4"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref385809"> <h2 class="h1">“Blurred Lines” and “Get Lucky”</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 2013 Williams cowrote and produced “<span id="ref1232881"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Blurred-Lines" class="md-crosslink ">Blurred Lines</a>,” which was sung by Robin Thicke and featured T.I. and Williams. The song was a huge hit, but in 2015 a federal jury held that Thicke and Williams had committed copyright infringement by using parts of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marvin-Gaye" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Marvin Gaye</a>’s “Got to Give It Up.” Williams also cowrote and was featured on “Get Lucky” (2013) by <span id="ref1245461"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Daft-Punk" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Daft Punk</a>, which won Grammys for best pop duo/group performance and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Grammy-Award-for-record-of-the-year" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">record of the year</a> in 2014. At that year’s Grammy ceremony Williams was named producer of the year (nonclassical).</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h5"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref385810"> <h2 class="h1">“Happy,” <em>G I R L</em>, and other music projects</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><span class="inline-youtube-video d-print-none"><iframe class="" width="560" height="315" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ZbZSe6N_BXs?rel=0"></iframe></span>He had further success with “<span id="ref1232879"></span>Happy,” an effervescent and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="infectious" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/infectious" data-type="EB">infectious</a> song that he had written for the animated film <em><span id="ref1232901"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Despicable-Me-2" class="md-crosslink ">Despicable Me 2</a></em> (2013). It received an Academy Award nomination for best original song, and Williams performed it at the Oscar ceremony in 2014. His second solo album, <em>G I R L</em>, was released the following day. Later in 2014 Williams again teamed with Zimmer, among others, on the soundtrack for the film <em>The Amazing Spider-Man 2</em>, and he became a coach on the popular TV show <em><span id="ref1245462"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Voice-American-television-program" class="md-crosslink ">The Voice</a></em>; he left the program in 2016.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Williams collaborated with Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch on the score for the movie <em><span id="ref1254871"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hidden-Figures" class="md-crosslink ">Hidden Figures</a></em> (2016), which garnered them Grammy and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Golden-Globe-Award" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Golden Globe</a> nominations. He was also a producer on the film. In 2017 he wrote and performed the songs in <em><span id="ref1254873"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Despicable-Me-3" class="md-crosslink ">Despicable Me 3</a></em> (2017). In addition, he reunited with his band N.E.R.D. for the explicitly political album <em>No_One Ever Really Dies</em> (2017).</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="314756" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/240251-050-B01965B1/Pharrell-Williams-Performs-Grand-Palais-France-2019.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2002684/314756"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/240251-050-B01965B1/Pharrell-Williams-Performs-Grand-Palais-France-2019.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/240251-050-B01965B1/Pharrell-Williams-Performs-Grand-Palais-France-2019.jpg?w=300" alt="The ever-busy Pharrell Williams" data-width="1553" data-height="1126" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/240251-050-B01965B1/Pharrell-Williams-Performs-Grand-Palais-France-2019.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2002684/314756">The ever-busy Pharrell Williams</a><span>Pharrell Williams performing at an event honoring fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in Paris, 2019.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Williams scored another hit single in 2018 with “Sangria Wine,” a collaboration with singer Camila Cabello. That same year he produced <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ariana-Grande" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ariana Grande</a>’s Grammy-winning album <em>Sweetener</em>. In 2019 he performed and cowrote (with Hugo) the song “Letter to My Godfather” for the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/documentary-film" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">documentary film</a> <em>The Black Godfather</em>. The track was nominated for a Primetime <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Emmy-Award" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Emmy Award</a> for outstanding song and lyrics. Other hit songs that he produced include “Cash In Cash Out” (2022; performed by Tyler, the Creator and 21 Savage) and “Doctor (Work It Out)” (2024; performed by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Miley-Cyrus" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Miley Cyrus</a>). In 2024 Williams worked with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lin-Manuel-Miranda" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lin-Manuel Miranda</a> and Nicholas Britell to compose the score for the film <em>Mufasa: The Lion King</em>, directed by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barry-Jenkins" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Barry Jenkins</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h6"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref385811"> <h2 class="h1">Acting</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Williams also made brief appearances in movies, often playing himself or characters similar to him, as he did in <em>Entourage</em> and <em>Pitch Perfect 2</em> (both 2015), respectively. He took on a larger role when he lent his voice as narrator to the animated feature <em>The Grinch</em> (2018), an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="adaptation" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adaptation" data-type="MW">adaptation</a> of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dr-Seuss" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Dr. Seuss</a>’s children’s classic (1957).</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h7"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref385812"> <h2 class="h1">Fashion projects</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Williams’s other projects have included the premium street-wear clothing lines Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream (with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Japanese-music" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Japanese music</a> producer Nigo). He also collaborated on a unisex fragrance with the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/perfume" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">perfume</a> division of the fashion house Comme des Garçons. In 2023 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/LVMH" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Louis Vuitton</a> named Williams as creative director of its menswear collection, filling the position left vacant after <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Virgil-Abloh" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Virgil Abloh</a> died in 2021.</p><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/pat-bauer/3520770">Pat Bauer</a></span> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":2002684,"pageLength":894,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Pharrell Williams | Biography, Songs, Happy, Movies, & Facts | Britannica