After John and Furnish took him to Brandi Carlile's concert performance of Joni Mitchell's Blue as an early 30th birthday gift, they all wound up at Mitchell's house singing "Tiny Dancer" with Carlile. I had to have piano lessons. Though Rocketman was produced by Furnish, John didnt see it in full until the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month. Despite the exposure, he chooses not to discuss his romantic relationships. Previously, he served as a Music Editor at PEOPLE and VH1.com. 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. 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. His 1976 coming out interview in Rolling Stone was the first of its kind, making him essentially the most famous queer person in the world. "Rocketman" begins with him singing underwater at the bottom of a pool, where he would. Taron Egerton stars as Henk Rogers, a Dutch entrepreneur determined to secure the licensing . It would be a pale imitation, bad drag, or a valiant effort at best. The deluge of pre-release controversies helped keep Bohemian Rhapsody in the press. 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. Do You Know Elmira Minita Gordon Net Worth, Biography, Career? 16. ", That left Egerton able to focus on the distinct unreality of how the story was told. Ditto Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. Taron Egerton's current net worth to be $10 million. "When I was 20, I said I was going to learn an instrument properly, and I'm about to turn 30 and I haven't," he says. (Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher, above with Egerton on set, was also tapped to finish up Rhapsody after Bryan Singer's exit. Photo: MovieStillsDB It's 10 months into 2020 and Taron Egerton still can't iron his clothes properly. Ive recorded a few songs in the past. He's written about art and entertainment for more than a decade, regularly contributing to outlets like Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, and appearing as a guest on radio and television. 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. Taron Egerton did not play the piano exclusively in Rocketman, but the practice was necessary even then. Taron Egerton has ruled himself out of the running to play the next James Bond, suggesting 007 filmmakers have "already got someone, and it's not me" The Golden Globe-winning actor, 33, has been among the names thought to be under consideration to play Bond since he starred in the Kingsmen . That was my twenties. We could laugh about it. Did he enjoy playing the music icon? Getting to the core of who someone is and capturing their spirit that's what I found most scary and daunting, but also ultimately rewarding. Thats nearly what Elton did. The conversations about Bryan Singer's rumored history of inappropriate sexual behavior and/or whether the movie would hide (or condemn) Mercury's status as a bisexual man who died of AIDS, were both valuable in keeping the film in the spotlight and irrelevant to 99% of paying consumers. Which was important, Fletcher says, because the last thing they wanted to be was The Also-Ran Rocketman.. Egerton is thankful that his films approach to Elton Johns life stood in such stark relief to last years Oscar winners approach to Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. The film takes place over the course of four decades, with Egerton painting a gap onto his teeth and shaving back his hairline with a razor to mimic Johns pattern baldness as he aged. It got solid reviews from fans and critics, giving it excellent word-of-mouth to boost ticket sales. And they have just been very, very kind and generous in terms of granting me access to their lives behind closed doors.. It has also led me to explore some of his more obscure album tracks. Pokwang says Lee OBrian didnt want their daughter: Nagalit siya nung nalaman na buntis ako, Joey de Leon laughs off Eat Bulaga rebranding rumors; Tito Sotto meets up with show producer Tony Tuviera, Rhian Ramos sets record straight amid claims she owns a fake luxury bag, Over 24,000 hectares of coral reef at risk following Mindoro oil spill, Kickstart summer with vivos hot smartphone deals this 3.3, Negros Oriental governor shot dead inside his house, 3 suspects in murder of Negros Oriental governor nabbed, House energy committee chair Arroyo bats for cheap electricity, vivo announces PHP 1,000 price drop on vivo V25e, Death toll in Negros Oriental shooting rises to 9; 14 others hurt, Miss Universe bidding war for Philippine license concludes; national pageant on May 13, UAAP: UST ends NUs 20-game winning streak in womens volleyball. Rocketman is now streaming on Netflix UK and Ireland. E-mail [emailprotected] Follow him at http://twitter.com/nepalesruben. ", Because Rocketman is a film about a gay '70s rock icon, comparisons to Bohemian Rhapsody were inevitable, even before both had been released. Bring it up to the director, Im with you," he said. Taron Egerton shouldnt have been this good in the movie. Taron Egerton oozed old Hollywood as he attended the 29th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Sunday.. Looking back on his life, Taron Egerton seemed destined to portray Sir Elton Hercules John in Rocketman the new based on a true fantasy musical biopic. 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. It didnt require a cynical bent to expect it to happen again with Rocketman. "Until I saw the final cut of the movie, I never really relaxed," says Egerton, who was particularly worried that the intimate scenes between his and Madden's character would be edited out. Check out this video where Egerton and Fletcher discuss the creation of Rocketman along with scenes from the movie. Then theres the specter of Bohemian Rhapsody to talk through. Tom Sizemore, Heat and Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dead at 61 And that was absolutely the best [reaction] it could have been. How Much Will Taron Egerton Make For 'Sing 2'? At just 32 years old, Taron Egerton is a performer who has been stacking up the credits and the accolades during his time in Hollywood. Published on May 31, 2019 10:42 AM. Dora and the City of Lost Gold is a coin toss, Crawl is a pure genre play and both Will Smith's Gemini Man and Blake Lively's Rhythm Section look like prime candidates for audiences who claim to want original or high concept movies for adults to ignore while complaining that Hollywood doesn't make anything for them anymore. 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.. How To Get A Great Direct Input (DI) Sound For Recording Guitar, Guitar Is A Relatively Easy Task That Can Be Done At Home With A Few Simple Tools, How Many Musicians And Chorus In Mozart Clarinet Concerto, How To Cure Finger Pain From Playing Guitar. Actor Taron Egerton had some big, . Adam Driver: Net Worth, Biography, Career, Personal, And Facts, Garrett Hedlund Net Worth, Biography, Career, Personal, And Facts, Jamie Bell Net Worth, Biography, Career, Personal, And Facts, John Cazale: Net Worth, Biography, Career, Personal, And Facts, Lee J Cobb: Net Worth, Biography, Career, Personal, And Facts. Then, as an up-and-coming star, the Welsh-raised actor crossed paths with John when the rock legend had a cameo in 2017s Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle. Peter Williams is a graduate of B.A Arts and Culture from the University of Technology Sydney. The film's first single, Rocketman, has been released. They looked like two young boys. 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). "Rocketman works and thrives when it feels like it's existing in a realm that isn't quite our world. Taron Egerton looking sharp in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Dexter included it in the soundtrack for the moment when Elton starts to become successful. ", One major differentiation is Egerton's singing; the other is in Rocketman's direct, tender approach to Elton John's sexual awakening. 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. But for me, those are the easy things. Egerton made his acting debut as Liam Jay in the 2011 ITV comedy Lewis. It's going to be compromised by all of the paraphernalia of filmmaking. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. But now I don't think my heart would flutter. The Welsh actor will be in charge of playing the legendary singer in this film. I think he wanted us to do something impressionistic rather than photographic, Egerton says. 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. It was a brilliant idea to have Taron play Elton, says Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher. Elton and Egerton were also close friends, as the two shared a passion for cars, with Egerton learning to drive before the actor took the singer for a spin in a modified Rolls-Royce. It's not fair, but considering Paramount's current struggles, Rocketman really needed to be an ace in the hole. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. His essence is as if a kaleidoscope exploded into a person: trippy, messy, hypnotizing, bright, garish, and altogether unique and fabulous. Its been six months but Im already a little nostalgic. I hope that when people watch the movie, they see that Elton really absorbs that. It did not sanitize its subjects sexuality and legacy or play down any of the sex, drugs, and rock and roll in order to appease studios and make the film more palatable for a mainstream audience. What Men Want earned a solid $72 million on a $20 million budget, butWonder Parkflopped hard and (likeRocketman) thePet Semetaryremake felt like a let down because it didn't really break out ($121 million on a $21 million budget). It is possible that John played all of the piano parts himself, or he may have had help from other musicians. We got on with it and we did our job. The music in Disney's Encanto is taking the world by storm, and other studios would love to pull this off, too. "And I will not get to 40 without having done it, because if I do it now and put my mind to it, in three years I could potentially be singing and accompany myself. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. 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. Theyre very warm and generous and open. 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. Its amazing music. 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. The diversity and range and what they (Elton and Bernie) have producedthere are hundreds of songs. At the age of 11, he received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music for his talents. 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. No word yet on when Taron will return, if at all, as Eggsy in a third Kingsman movie. But whats sure is that he will be seen as Rian in the much-awaited The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance series, which premieres on Netflix on Aug. 30. It's a combination of the Welsh word for flower and a reference to his love of RV camping. Simply put, Paramount needed a blockbuster. "It's interesting and frankly a little disheartening to know and begin to get an understanding of the mechanics of what embracing someone's sexuality in a film of this level does to its global box office and how it performs in certain territories," Egerton says. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); How was it playing a guy who loses his virginity to another guy, played by Richard Madden? While it is known that Elton John is a highly accomplished pianist, it is not clear who played the piano on any given track. The latest movie news, trailers, reviews, and more. When fans ask why he sings so well on piano, they are interested in knowing if he really knows how to play it. The film shows a first kiss, John losing his virginity, even a drug-fueled writhing sea of mostly-naked bodies. Rocketman, directed by Richard Lester, is a biographical musical film about a young musician named Rocketman. He was named one of GQs 50 best-dressed British men in 2015 and 2016. Many things. He relocated to Aberystwyth at 12 and attended Ysgol Penglais School before enrolling in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he graduated in 2012 with a BA (Hons) Acting. 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!" I caught a touch of that.. "Maybe Sing 3, but it wasnt in this one and a lot of people have been saying that and Im like thats right, Buster Moon should sing, whistle, diddy, hum, dance, something. 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. PREVIEW. Egerton attended elementary school at Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey, Wales. 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. Of course, R-rated musical doesnt necessarily have the cha-ching ring of dollar signs to it. 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. The night before, John and Egerton celebrated the Rocketman premiere by taking literal center stage at an elaborate after-party on the beach. 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. I wanted to include this idea of putting on the mask. ), "Bohemian Rhapsody was great, and I thought Rami Malek, who's a friend of mine, was phenomenal in the role [of Freddie Mercury]," Egerton says. Rocket Man. We spoke with Michael L. Roberts, Egertons piano and vocals coach, to get his perspective on what goes into making a film about Elton John. Taron Egerton was brought back for the sequel, and based on his salary, he definitely increased his impressive net worth. This was great news for Egerton, who was able to tack on another hit to his resume. . Dwayne Johnson's Film Debut Salary Broke A Guinness World Record, Harrison Ford Made A Shockingly Low Salary Of $1,000 Per Week For This Film. The Kingsman Franchise Boosted His Net Worth To $6 Million It's always fascinating to watch a young actor break into the movie industry by landing a role in a surprise hit film, and this is precisely the route that Taron Egerton took to mainstream stardom. 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. 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 Egerton plays Sir Elton John in the film Rocketman, based on the fantasy musical biography. In the video, he plays piano parts from the film. The ability of Egerton to capture the essence of the late Sir Elton John was a tribute to his dedication to the role, according to Roberts. Taron Egerton was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Elton John in the film Rocketman. John's R-rated exploits frame the film, starting with his stint in rehab for multiple addictions, flashing back through years of substance use, toxic relationships and legendary fits of anger. By providing an email address. 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). Per the site, Matthew McConaughey, who is voicing Buster Moon, will be the top-earning performer with an $800,000 salary. Egerton is performing "Crocodile Rock" when he, the piano, and the entire concert crowd begin to levitate. He received recognition for his roles in Smoke and the 2014 action comedy picture Kingsman: The Secret Service. The Secret Service. A year later, John made a cameo in Egertons Kingsman: The Golden Circle movie. Taron Egertons personal life is a well-guarded secret for those who follow the actors career. 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. We met for the first time when I was filming the wedding scene, Egerton tells PEOPLE in this weeks issue. Thats what a musical gives us beyond all other forms.. Cast against type as Elton John in " Rocketman ," Egerton had to channel a pop god while also making the . But the lesson of the movie is that although you can be who you want to be, you still have to love yourself, you still have to love that kid who had all of these dreams and talents. He and costar Richard Madden, who plays John's first boyfriend and eventual manager, John Reid, gamely teased each other in marathon junket sessions and promotional stunts. The music is now always going to be something extra special and important. Its fantastic to see Egerton in Rocketman, and he adds a lot of depth to the film. The movie is about acceptance of self, says the leading man. When another movie about a . And youll discover a gem that you havent heard before. I wanted to perform it myself because I enjoy the song and wanted to do justice to it. So I'm very proud of what it is and what it's become, the journey it's been on, because I believe that Rocketman has its integrity intact.". 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 . Im lucky enough to write about film and television for a living, with some fun trivia sprinkled in, too. Sure, Taron Egerton is on screen made up and dressed up like Elton John, but in short order he storms out of a . The Welsh actor will be in charge of playing the legendary singer in this film. Do You Know Lisa Shoman Net Worth, Biography, Career? I don't feel like those are the things that are the most interesting or taxing. The performance is taking place as a result of him taking singing lessons. That could be it. They (Elton and Bernie) were squeezing each others knee and tapping each other on the shoulders. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. 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 actor apologizes for the rasp in his voicea result of a really great weekend in which he celebrated his 30th birthdaywhen we meet in New York ahead of award-season campaigning for his work in the film, which just this week garnered him Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, and solid footing in a turbulent Best Actor Oscars race. That were still talking about his performance is both a testament to his work and a feat of longevity. Here come my twenties! But at the end of your twenties, you sort of go, Oh fuck. To Vaughn, the movie was a no-brainer. Theres no doubt that Taron Egerton enjoyed playing Elton John. It has been suggested that Egertons voice is similar to that of Elton John. He received recognition for his roles in 'Smoke' and the 2014 action comedy picture 'Kingsman: The Secret Service.' The Secret Service. 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. By Clicking "Subscribe" you agree to have read the. As a result, followers of the attractive guy may only follow him on Instagram and other social media platforms, hoping that journalists would publish images of their hero with his girlfriend. I was surprised by how much I enjoy wearing hot pants (laughs). Im not a natural pianist, Egerton said. Memories mature like wine, dont they? he says. Johnny, the teenage gorilla, was a part of the animated film Sing. "And Taron came down one day and sat on the front lawn of our house, on a nice . 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.