Producers, and John himself, insisted upon an actor who could belt the hit-packed Giles Martin-produced soundtrack themselves. I think its such an incredible thing for someone to go from such a low ebb to such titanic, gargantuan success., The message of Rocketman is clear in a new song John composed with longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, (Im Gonna) Love Me Again, which he performs as a duet with Egerton over the films closing credits. That rock-bottom moment provides the film's frame, which means this is more than just a paint-by-numbers saunter . Im not a natural pianist, Egerton said. That could be it. It has also led me to explore some of his more obscure album tracks. Here come my twenties! But at the end of your twenties, you sort of go, Oh fuck. Thats nearly what Elton did. Rocket Man. They were PG13, we are an R. Thats not to say that there isnt crossover. By Chloe Foussianes Published: Jan 5, 2020. Theres a world in which Elton maybe shouldnt have taken him too seriously (laughs). And yes, there are differences. And they have just been very, very kind and generous in terms of granting me access to their lives behind closed doors.. He jumped in to produce, drafted Dexter Fletcherthe man who would eventually take over Bohemian Rhapsody helming duties from Bryan Singerto direct, and suggested his Kingsman star to take over as John. 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. And theres the costumes. The wicked sense of humor they shared made them fast friends, but Egertons electrifying cover of Im Still Standing in the animated feature Sing set him apart from other contenders (namely Tom Hardy) to play John in the long-discussed film. 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. It's a combination of the Welsh word for flower and a reference to his love of RV camping. It was moving to see how moved you were by the cheers and applause after the films gala screening in Cannes. And when I was hearing his voice, I was hearing me, but it wasnt me. Hes both at once incredibly vulnerable and incredibly intimidating Theres a spark in him and you feel it when you meet him. And where Elton John was known for refusing to take himself seriously, especially onstage, Egerton has approached this role of a lifetime as if it is, in fact, a lifelong commitment. Theyre two celebrations of two hugely revered musical acts. Our site has more than 2 million unique monthly visitors and 1 million subscribers. In Hollywood, theres always serendipity. Egerton told Collider before filming began that he planned on singing alone and did an excellent job. The role of Eggsy in the Kingsman franchise was a huge boost to his blossoming career. This is a BETA experience. Rocketman (Music from the Motion Picture) - Apple Music 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. Over the years, we have been providing quality content, commentaries, opinions and insights on arts and music. Patiently waiting for the X-Men to enter the MCU and help take down Galactus! "I've never poured so much of myself into something. On his website, Elton states that the music he composed and recorded needed to be sung by Taron. Did Taron Egerton Sing Elton John's Songs in Rocketman? - Town & Country Other stars in the film include Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden, and Jamie Bell. Im not going to stop calling my friends cuties and lovely because they are., Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Snapchat. Ive done some nudity, but never a love scene. 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. Egerton clarified his sexuality by stating, One of the boys was at his London house.. Of course, R-rated musical doesnt necessarily have the cha-ching ring of dollar signs to it. Taron Egerton Reveals How Elton John Helped Him Prepare for Rocketman Do You Know Buddy Boeheim Net Worth, Biography, Latest Career? ", That left Egerton able to focus on the distinct unreality of how the story was told. And while it still has a few territories in which to open (the Philippines, Hong Kong, Lebanon and Thailand this week and Japan on August 23), it's currently playing at a 49/51 split with around $140 million worldwide. Especially when detonating the entire formula that turned Bohemian Rhapsody into a $900 million-grossing, Oscar-winning cultural phenomenon, backlash from critics be damned. Im not going to say Im amazing now, but I can bash out a few tunes. Egerton also revealed that he did his own singing in the film, with some help from a vocal coach. How much did the costumes help you portray the essence of Elton John? "Rocketman" begins with him singing underwater at the bottom of a pool, where he would. Though Rocketman was produced by Furnish, John didnt see it in full until the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month. Now that "Rocketman" has rocketed off to worldwide box-office earnings of more than $134 million, Taron Egerton, who plays Elton John in the musical biopic and worked tirelessly to promote the . The deluge of pre-release controversies helped keep Bohemian Rhapsody in the press. Taron Egerton was essential in making the Kingsman series a box office hit, and he raised his popularity and a net worth significantly with his leading role in Rocketman. Journalists even speculated that Taron Egerton was homosexual, but the actor promptly debunked the accusations. But the truth of the matter is 48 hours before he went on stage, he swallowed a bunch of pills and he threw himself into his swimming pool. With 'Rocketman's' success, what Taron Egerton plans to do next A graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, he lives in Brooklyn, where he can be found DJing '60s soul records. Egerton did not meet John until after the film Kingsman: The Golden Circle had finished. Clearly, there is interest in the property, and stars like McConaughey have already said that they would be on board for another film. Rocketman is now streaming on Netflix UK and Ireland. They were watching the two young boy versions of themselves onscreen, and they looked like kids again. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. (The memoir Me that John published six months after the film bowed is even more explicit about both his hookups and intense cocaine use, all of which Egerton seems to delight in reading aloud for the unabridged audiobook.). Egerton has done a bit of everything in film and television, though it has been his work on the big screen that has earned him the most acclaim. Tom Sizemore, Heat and Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dead at 61 'Rocketman' Star Taron Egerton On Portraying Elton John In Biopic : NPR Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Which was important, Fletcher says, because the last thing they wanted to be was The Also-Ran Rocketman.. And because he was moved, I was moved, and we all got a little teary.. They have a beautiful home and theyre beautiful people, says Egerton. There was no element of awkwardness or strangeness. "Taron Egerton plays Elton John in Rocketman from Paramount Pictures. How Taron Egerton's Rocketman role became a lifelong gig | EW.com Yeah, I still listen to the songs for pleasure, which is a testament to how wonderful they are. I would argue it would not have felt quite as effectively.. "I just want to have something that can accompany a vocal so that when I sing late at night at parties in a completely unsolicited fashion, it looks a little bit more valid and justified," he says. Ultimately it's more a sweeping series of musical-fantasy sequences than a faithfully realistic biopic, and by most accounts, John was less involved in the daily work than Furnish. The most important thing is that its a musical, says director Dexter Fletcher, who arrives to our interview singing a song from Little Shop of Horrors. To Vaughn, the movie was a no-brainer. Taron Egerton was brought back for the sequel, and based on his salary, he definitely increased his impressive net worth. Taron Egerton was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Elton John in the film Rocketman. Elton John saw something special in Taron Egerton from the beginning! Portraying someone as iconic as Elton John on the big screen is a very difficult task, which is why everyone from Tom Hardy to Justin Timberlake was initially considered for the role in the upcoming biopic Rocketman until producers settled on Taron Egerton. Meanwhile, Taron is earning critical praise in director Dexter Fletchers Rocketman, which also features Jamie Bell (Bernie Taupin) and Richard Madden (John Reid). Do you still sing or listen to Eltons songs? Does Taron Egerton Actually Sing in Rocketman - Esquire Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. But he's quick to reject the idea that he might put out an album of his own. . How Much Will Taron Egerton Make For 'Sing 2'? For example, when Egerton was 17, around the time that John was first exploring the idea of a movie, he auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London with Your Song. He sang a John tune again later in his career, this time as a gorilla in the 2016 animated film Sing, in which his character performs Im Still Standing at the concert finale.