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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 3 May 2019
Summer Movie Preview: Capturing the essence of Elton John

By LINDSEY BAHR etman," out May 31, is trying
Associated Press to do: Evoke the essence of
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sir El- John's life, as told by John,
ton John gave actor Taron from his childhood to mid-
Egerton some unlikely ad- dle age and all the suc-
vice for portraying him in cess, tumult and darkness
"Rocketman": Don't do an behind all those fantastical
impression. Sing the songs costumes, and not give au-
the way you want. diences a Wikipedia entry.
It was a freeing, if unusual, You won't even hear John's
bit of direction for a proj- voice at all — Egerton per-
ect about himself that John forms the songs himself. It's
had been trying to make an unconventional biopic
for seven years. But it gets for an unconventional rock
to the heart of what "Rock- star and John, 72, certainly

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Taron Egerton as Elton John in a scene from
"Rocketman."
Associated Press

wasn't going to get in the biopic after director Bryan In fact, Egerton has be-
way of that. Singer exited. "It's part of El- come good friends with
The project itself came to- ton's life. He wears glasses. John over the past few
gether in a roundabout He plays the piano. He's years, starting with his
way, after a few years of gay...I saw it as an oppor- "Kingsman" cameo, evolv-
false starts. At one point, tunity to look at that. It's ing to their first one-on-one
Tom Hardy was actually responsibly and creatively outing for takeaway curry,
signed on to star. But it and respectfully handled and culminating into a re-
wasn't until producer Mat- and I'm really happy with lationship where they now
thew Vaughn — who is what we've done. I think it speak most days.
friends with John and his might make a difference." "He's great fun," Egerton
husband David Furnish and "Bohemian Rhapsody" was said. "He's a great racon-
had convinced John to do criticized for glossing over teur and he's very funny.
a cameo in his "Kingsman" Mercury's sexuality. And he's very interested in
sequel — proposed the For Egerton, 29, the op- me as well."
idea of Egerton that things portunity to play John was They even have been
really started moving for- a "surreal dream," if a little known to give each other
ward. daunting. gifts. John gave Egerton
Director Dexter Fletcher "I'm a big believer in doing his first diamond earring
said it was the, "idea of things that scare you and it (which Egerton wears for
Taron playing Elton that is intimidating but I wouldn't the rehab scenes) and
ignited it for me." He'd have done it if I didn't feel it Egerton, in return, got
worked with the actor be- was a good candidate for John's prescription add-
fore, on "Eddie the Eagle," the job," said Egerton. "I al- ed to the glitzy glasses he
and knew he had the vocal ways felt that it had the po- wears in the scene where
chops to do it and the dar- tential to be quite special." he's writing "Your Song."
ing to be able to "go there" He plays the music icon "He's worn them a couple
for an R-rated musical. from around age 17, when of times since which really
In "Rocketman," there will he's still going by Reginald touched me," Egerton said.
be rock and roll, drugs, Dwight, to age 43. To pre- As with the singing, Egerton
sex, rehab and an explo- pare, he trawled YouTube had the freedom to put his
ration of John's relation- for old clips and acquaint- own spin and interpretation
ship with his then-manager ed himself with some lesser on things.
John Reid, who is played known songs, but he knew "It's a fantasy creation," he
by "Game of Thrones" alum that there was a limit to said. "When you see the film
Richard Madden. In other what he'd be able to glean I hope I am recognizable
words, "Bohemian Rhapso- from the public record, as him. But it's undeniably
dy" this is not. in part because the film me as well."
"It's where they didn't dare shows John at some of his It's worth reiterating that
to go on 'Bohemian Rhap- darkest moments, which this is not even attempting
sody,' where they didn't weren't exactly happening to be a documentary. As
want to go," said Fletcher, when the cameras were Fletcher says, John is telling
who was actually the one on. And he found that he his story from memory, and
who finished the Oscar- learned the most by get- he's a "slightly unreliable
winning Freddie Mercury ting to know John himself. narrator." q