. In the films centerpiece scene, Egerton as John sings the title song before 50,000 people at L.A.s Dodger Stadium, the biggest solo show anyone had ever done up to that point. Its something hes never heard before. The film Rocketman, starring Taron Egerton as Sir Elton John, has received rave reviews. "Taron Egerton plays Elton John in Rocketman from Paramount Pictures. This is a BETA experience. "And it seems to heighten peoples' response to and affection for him.". And the film starts with a duet of The Bitch Is Back performed by Egertons John and his younger self, Reggie Dwight from Pinner, played by Matthew Illesley. There are different scenarios you play out in your head when you watch a movie youve worked so hard on for such a long time. Egerton is performing Crocodile Rock when he, the piano, and the entire concert crowd begin to levitate. Next: This Four-Year-Old 'Modern Family' Cast Member Was Able To Double Her Salary. You could hear the sighs of relief back in Hollywood when the audience at the Cannes premiere saw that the gay sex and fleeting bare bums made it into the film intact. Its a story about a man whos not well becoming well, and I think it was a moving experience for him. Im not going to stop calling my friends cuties and lovely because they are., Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Snapchat. Let's take a look at the success of Sing 2 and see how much Taron Egerton made to voice Johnny in the franchise once again. He seems to have kept his head about him as he's anchored a nearly-billion dollar hit global franchise (the first two Kingsman films, with one more not this year's prequel to go on his contract) and kept his chin up when other massively expensive tentpole endeavors netted out in the red (Robin Hood). One of the memorable lines in the movie is, You have to kill the person you were born to be to become the person you want to be. Is this something you take to heart? There's just something and it's not really something that you can define". But still, "There isn't one moment in the film where I'm miming. "If it's something that involves a skill that is based around muscularity and muscle memory, I don't think you can do enough.". The 30-year-old actor dished about his first meeting with the legendary musician while . Its lead starinsert shady eyes emojiis heard doing his own singing in the final film version. Here come my twenties! But at the end of your twenties, you sort of go, Oh fuck. The film grossed $195 million worldwide on a budget of $40 million, and has so far scored major nominations at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Critics Choice Awards. Sing 2 just hit theaters back in November, and it has had a nice haul at the global box office. I think thats something that we share., That duality is a recurring theme of Rocketman, in which the adult John tries to make peace with the unhappy and misunderstood little boy inside, born Reggie Dwight in the London suburb of Pinner. Turns out, their gamble paid off, as Sing became a sensation once it hit theaters. When Elton became emotional I do have a tendency to get a little bit weepy at times, and that was one of them. In the film, he plays a part in a talent show. Its the first milestone where you feel like youve lost something, he says. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. After casting, Egerton was invited to visit the house John, 72, shares with his husband David Furnish, 56, and their two sons, sons Zachary, 8, and Elijah, 6. "I mean, there's no two ways about it," Egerton says in a new EW interview for The Awardist podcast. Thats interesting because Elton is told that line by an extraordinarily talented performer. Both Egerton and Elton share a lot in common, including their love of cars, and we believe that their friendship is a testament to the power of connection. In the action-adventure-drama, a prequel to Jim Hensons 1982 The Dark Crystal, Taron stars with Caitriona Balfe, Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Hamill and Alicia Vikander. If it maintains that spread, it'll earn between $170 million and $184 million worldwide, or 4.45x its $41 million budget. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. And we hope that the audience will feel excited by that as we are. Theres a version of this where we could have made that our central aim, to sound as much like and emulate his mannerisms as effectively as possible. In recent months as awards buzz about his performance has grown, Egerton has accompanied John, John's husband and Rocketman producer David Furnish, and John's songwriting partner Bernie Taupin to a steady schedule of panel discussions, screenings, and receptions around Los Angeles. Whether this guy was a bit off the wall or not, it was a line that inspired Elton. Audiences (and awards groups) liked or loved Bohemian Rhapsody because it was a glossy, energetic and genuinely cinematic rock opera that doubled as a biopic with a stellar lead performance (Rami Malek) and a toe-tapping jukebox musical/concert flick filled with Queen music. Egerton was reported in 2015 that he was a member of the Billionaire Boys Club. Stylistically, were a musical thats a biopic. This all puts more pressure on the Tim Miller-directed and James Cameron-produced Terminator: Dark Fate, which may revive the franchise but may also be the third failed attempt to reboot it. Taron is a variant of the Welsh word taran, which means thunder. Egertons family-owned and operated bed and breakfast. You cant shun him because shunning him means that you will burn up your fuse out there alone. Call 896 6000. I caught a touch of that.. He had this wicked sense of humor and hes very irreverent, but then he can be so, so sweet and vulnerable and kind. "I was most proud of the work that was characterized by being only really suitable for an older viewer," Egerton says. Of course, there is no way to talk about the exceptional work that Egerton has turned in without taking some time to focus on his work in the Sing franchise. Tetris. When factoring in rehearsals, filming, recording the soundtrack at Abbey Road, and spending time living with and getting to know the icon and his husband, David Furnish, the last three years of Egertons life have been spent in the headspace of Elton John. It was what they wanted from the movie, and everything else was just a distraction. When studios have conversations about whether to go for an R or a PG-13, it's often not just about letting kids in the door. Egerton amassed his riches via his successful acting and singing careers. Bennie and the Jets (Interlude) 17. Over the course of his career, he's profiled the surviving Beatles, Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Roger Waters, David Byrne, Pete Townshend, Debbie Harry, Quincy Jones, Brian May, Jerry Lee Lewis, James Taylor and many more. That were still talking about his performance is both a testament to his work and a feat of longevity. It was over 12 years ago that Elton John began developing " Rocketman ," a film about his life, and he had strict requirements: It needed to be R-rated, so as to not soften the music superstar's. The piano-playing. On his website, Elton states that the music he composed and recorded needed to be sung by Taron. Taron Egertons portrayal of Elton John in Rocketman was simply stunning. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. Taron Egerton did an admirable job portraying Elton John in the 2019 biopic Rocketman, but many fans were curious about one thing: whether or not Egerton actually played the piano in the film. . Its sort of done. Theres something and its not something you can define.. He has two half-sisters who are younger than him. Also, over the past few months, Elton and I have had this incredible experience of performing together. They were PG13, we are an R. Thats not to say that there isnt crossover. Fletcher explains that for the sequence the Egerton-Madden love scene appears in, he had also filmed a sex scene between Jamie Bells Bernie Taupin and Sharmina Harrowers Heather, to show John and Taupin on parallel rock-star journeys to sexual freedom. Do You Know Gwendolyn Lizarraga Net Worth, Biography, Career? But you know, the day after the Cannes screening, Rami Malek texted me and said, Well done and well-deserved. We are so pleased to come in the slipstream of Bohemian Rhapsody because, hopefully, it suggests theres an appetite for movies of this nature. For us, of course, we hope that international audiences connect with the movie and love it in the way that they love Eltons music. Taron Egertons current net worth to be $10 million. Can You Learn Bass And Guitar At The Same Time? Taron Egerton plays the role of Reggie in the clip above, which depicts him sitting at a Yamaha grand piano and arguing with his music teacher, Helen Piena (Harriet Walter), while preparing for a major performance. Were inspired by them, so we pay homage to them by subtly reimagining them. Previously, he served as a Music Editor at PEOPLE and VH1.com. We got on with it and we did our job. A year later, Captain America: Civil War was considered a return to form from fans and critics, but audiences mostly responded to it as yet another decent MCU movie. I pulled a moony to the crew at the start of the day just to kill some of the tension. The films first single, Rocketman, has been released. Illumination had success already, and the studio was hopeful that this film would be their next major hit. I had to have piano lessons. I would argue it would not have felt quite as effectively.. The actor enters awards season as not only Elton John's stand-in but now also a close friend and an accomplished singer. "If I learned an instrument and in 10 years I felt that I was proficient enough to write some music, then of course I would entertain the idea [of an album]. LOS ANGELES No one delivered a gutsier film performance in 2019 than Taron Egerton. Many things. I think he wanted us to do something impressionistic rather than photographic, Egerton says. You have got your big company logo at the front of that and you have to reconcile yourself with that, because the issues are yours, not ours.. So when Rocketman showed up, it too was perceived as "Yeah, that's pretty good," but the extent to which critics preferred the Fletcher flick was not reflected in general audience opinions. By Chloe Foussianes Published: Jan 5, 2020. It was absolutely fine. Fletcher has gone on record saying that, while he made sure to do the best job he could in the stressful and rushed Bohemian Rhapsody situation, he was not emotionally attached to it.. Elton John saw something special in Taron Egerton from the beginning! Ive never been through that process before. If any of this was considered a gamble, it seems to be paying off. They were watching the two young boy versions of themselves onscreen, and they looked like kids again. Taron Egerton is a Welsh actor and a singer born on 10 November 1989 in Birkenhead, United Kingdom. The gay community has been burned so many times before by LGBTQ+ movie representation that theyre practically calloused. That rock-bottom moment provides the film's frame, which means this is more than just a paint-by-numbers saunter . However, Taron Egerton did re-record all of the hits in for, and this did not happen. After selling over 250 million albums worldwide, the singer returns to the musical inspiration for a performance at a tribute concert for Leon Russell. "Rocketman works and thrives when it feels like it's existing in a realm that isn't quite our world. Everything about it was extraordinary.. After the singer heard the performance in SING, he didn't need much convincing that they had the right person. The music is now always going to be something extra special and important. In the film, it is revealed how Reginald Dwight transformed from a street musician to a legendary musician. After this weeks Golden Globe and SAG nods, the Best Actor contender talks becoming Elton John, the shadow of Bohemian Rhapsody, and why the gay sex scenes were so important. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); How was it playing a guy who loses his virginity to another guy, played by Richard Madden? Rocketman stars Taron as Sir Elton, and he claims that he became friends with the music icon during filming because he brought Sir Eltons story to life on screen, and that the two formed a genuine friendship while working together. He'd sung in the past for film roles in 2016's Sing, as an animated gorilla, he even performs Elton John's "I'm Still Standing" and along with Eddie the Eagle costar Hugh Jackman he contributed an '80s-inspired synth-pop track to the movie's closing credits. PREVIEW. Hartley had previously worked with Sting on the Disney film The Emperors New Groove. But Elton John is also an extraordinarily outspoken celebrity, especially about the tough stuff. Its fantastic to see Egerton in Rocketman, and he adds a lot of depth to the film. Fucking hell, if we were doing the same thing, that would have been a miserable film to come after, because it was such a behemoth.. But we stuck our flag in the sand, the director says. Rocket Man. Other performers who come in just below him and just above Egerton include Reese Witherspoon and Scarlett Johansson, who will be making $700,000 and $550,000, respectively. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. According to Collider, Egerton was extremely pleased when the company let him do so. He has more insight into the scrutiny and, ultimately, celebration the film received from the gay community, the impact it had on addicts and those in recovery, and how the experience of making the movie and channeling Elton has shaped him. Actor Taron Egerton had some big, . "I can't tell you how weird it is to become so close to someone that you portray," Egerton says. It's a little bit funny, as Elton John's classic "Your Song" goes, to hear about the first time actor Taron Egerton met the superstar singer. ", That left Egerton able to focus on the distinct unreality of how the story was told. While it is known that Elton John is a highly accomplished pianist, it is not clear who played the piano on any given track. Or, at the very least, amusing coincidences that can be retrofitted to make it seem as if certain things were written in the stars. There were still liabilities to following Bohemian Rhapsody so closelyspecifically, the aftermath of outrage at the ways the film not only blushed at the idea of showing Mercury in the throes of passion with other men but treated his sexuality as a predatory gateway drug to a destructive lifestyle. Selena Gomez vs. Hailey Bieber: Why Everyone Thinks They Need to Pick a Side, For Taron, the challenge was finding the real person underneath the legend. "I've never felt so passionate about something and so protective," he says. Listen to Rocketman (Music from the Motion Picture) by Taron Egerton & Elton John on Apple Music. When you get to the end of your teens, youre not like, Thats the end of my teens! Youre like, Yeah! Both men have experienced tragedy and triumph in their long careers, with Egerton revealing that he cried when he first heard Eltons new album. Dexter included it in the soundtrack for the moment when Elton starts to become successful. The role of Eggsy in the Kingsman franchise was a huge boost to his blossoming career. Watch on. Im lucky enough to write about film and television for a living, with some fun trivia sprinkled in, too. The glamorous life of an actor. Because Elton was not at peace with who he was, he has lived through some real rejection during those years when he was most fragile and tender. Rocketman, directed by Richard Lester, is a biographical musical film about a young musician named Rocketman. Ive had that.. Download Best WordPress Themes Free Download. That was my twenties. Another mere mortal cant capture that. Animated movies have always had an incredible way of blending film and music, and many of the biggest animated hits around incorporate music brilliantly. It seems like it was just yesterday that the actor was making waves as the new kid on the block, but these days, he is a household name who is capable of turning heads with his acting abilities. Stream songs including "The Bitch Is Back (Introduction)", "I Want Love" and more. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. He performed Elton Johns Im Still Standing and I Dont Think Ive Ever Heard Anyone Sing These Songs Better in Sing! He demonstrated a natural talent for playing a wide range of songs by ear when he began playing guitar at the age of seven. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Where possible, where it felt isolated and just me on set, I was absolutely insistent that it be captured live. Egerton told Collider before filming began that he planned on singing alone and did an excellent job. There is no way to know for sure without further information. We cant wait to see what he has in store now that hes back in the spotlight. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. 16. The answer to this and other questions can be found below. It's a strange comparison, but consider Avengers: Age of Ultron which debuted with mostly positive reviews only to be tagged as a miss when it "only" opened with $191 million and caught got up in the "It's problematic!" Egerton is a resident of West London. To find out more, please click this link. He was profoundly moved, Egerton says. Clearly, there is interest in the property, and stars like McConaughey have already said that they would be on board for another film. While the obvious comparisons would be potentially frustrating for Rocketman promotionthe mention of Bohemian Rhapsodys shadow is the only time Egerton lets out a beleaguered sigh: Yeah thatthe film was in other ways absolved for not being like Bohemian Rhapsody, really, at all. Yes, yes he did. "It's not intended to be a carbon copy performance of who Elton is. 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To help him prep for the role, "we managed to find Elton's hand-written diaries from 1970 to 1976," John's husband, David Furnish, told THR. So all of us who were involved with the making of the film are hoping that that will only help us, because it reflects an appetite for celebrations of music. Related: Which Cast Member Of How To Get Away With Murder Has The Highest Salary Besides Viola Davis? David Appleby/Paramount Pictures. hook due to Aladdin's surprising popularity. As a teenager, the 29-year-old auditioned for drama school by singing Your Song, the 1970 classic that launched Captain Fantastic into orbit. So, the costumes I have in the movie, like the orange neoprene I wear in rehab, is such an amazing achievement because its so Elton, but its a new thing. He Instagrammed a photo of him with the caption Look at this hottie, and a million sources stated he was coming; out as homosexual I am not homosexual, but two of my friends came out when I was 15, and it was a delight to support them since we are all confident in our identities as a group. He clarified. For more on Elton Johns astonishing rise to fame and new biopic Rocketman, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE on newsstands now. As Taron did not have a dialect coach, he listened to Plan B polish his character Eggsys London accent in Kingsman: The Secret Service. Egerton has sung on stage with John a number of times now, going back to last year's Oscar party to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, where they performed "Tiny Dancer," up through last month's show at the Greek, where they belted out "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again," the new Taupin-penned duet John and Egerton sing over the Rocketman credits (coming soon to a Best Song nomination near you). Egerton did not meet John until after the film Kingsman: The Golden Circle had finished. I recorded a version of it just before Dont Go Breaking My Heart, then Honky Cat. Its been such a joy to get to grips with those more obscure songs. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. He was in that scene playing organ, and he just called me up to go and have a chat with him. The chance to meet the legend in the flesh proved to be a very, very, very surreal experience.. John put the kibosh on that immediately. Rocketman is in theaters May 31st. He began acting as a child, and he also took piano lessons and worked with Michael L. Roberts, who taught Egerton a lot about singing. It was all you can hope for. Related: Harrison Ford Made A Shockingly Low Salary Of $1,000 Per Week For This Film. This Four-Year-Old 'Modern Family' Cast Member Was Able To Double Her Salary. "It used to be that I'd turn up at his house and my heart would skip a beat before he came to the door because it's Elton John. Its feeling a little sugar-coatedalthough it was already pretty sugar-coated at the time., Theres a bit of a wince when he jokes about the big, scary birthday and turning 30. On the small screen, the actor has worked on projects like Watership Down, Moominvalley, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Rocketman is an upcoming film based on the life of Elton John that stars Taron Egerton as the singer as a young boy. But then he had to park his troubles and go be Elton John. Its amazing music. I don't feel like those are the things that are the most interesting or taxing. Im not a natural pianist, Egerton said. They looked like two young boys. Amidst those big set pieces, he grounded his performance in an abundance of preparation, even if that meant learning to quick-draw arrows until he could fire as many as three a second. We are the go to news media platform of people who would like to find the latest trends in the entertainment industry. Sing 2 was a success at the box office, and it's nice to see a talent like Egerton securing the bag. "There's a spark in him," the actor says about John, "and you feel it when you meet him. It would seem absurd to expect the same thing from a movie about Johns life that includes the phrase, I have fucked everything that moves. John himself has said the reason it took so long for the film to materialize was because he refused to water down his life. It has been suggested that Egertons voice is similar to that of Elton John. Its sort of like being transported back in time, Egerton says of reading the historic documents, which form the basis of Johns upcoming memoir due out in the fall. The Welsh actor will be in charge of playing the legendary singer in this film. Yet Bohemian Rhapsody grossed that much money, and won that many awards. The deluge of pre-release controversies helped keep Bohemian Rhapsody in the press. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.