Elton John, who turned 79 last Wednesday (25), met with actor Taron Egerton, who portrayed the singer in his biographical film Rocketman (2019), for what he called a “brilliant birthday surprise.”
“Rocketman squared. A brilliant birthday surprise to have Taron Egerton join us for lunch. Thank you, David Furnish, for making today and every day feel special, and to all of you for the love, messages and support,” John wrote on his Instagram profile.
The reunion comes years after the duo first connected during the production of Rocketman. At the time, however, the casting drew criticism from some who questioned the decision to cast a heterosexual actor as a gay man.
“This is all nonsense, I’m sorry. If people don’t like it, in terms of reviews, or if it doesn’t make a dollar, it’s the film I wanted to make and that’s all that matters. I can look back and say: ‘You know what, I love it. I can live with it,’” John told The Sun in 2019.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Egerton also addressed the topic. “For me, kissing a man on screen is no less appealing than kissing a woman on screen. I am in no way repelled by the male form. It’s an uncomfortable thing, regardless of who you’re with. It makes no difference,” the actor said at the time.
Since then, John and Egerton have maintained a close friendship. Before the film’s release, the two performed together at the Cannes Film Festival. John began playing his 1983 hit I’m Still Standing on the piano before Egerton joined him on stage, with the duo performing Rocketman, the 1972 song that inspired the film’s title.
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Photos: Creative Commons / Instagram @eltonjohn. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
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