Paramount Pictures(NEW YORK) — The Elton John fantasy musical biopic, Rocketman, officially hits theaters today, but it’s already generating positive reviews and awards buzz.
Star Taron Egerton, who plays Elton and does all his own singing in the film, says he’s trying not to pay attention to all of the buzz and instead focusing on getting people to the theater.
“My aim is let’s get people in to see it because it’s a movie that absolutely that has to be seen in theaters for one main reason and it’s the sound,” Taron tells ABC Radio. “The shared experience of it, the universal quality of Elton’s music, it absolutely has to be seen in the cinema and your emotional reaction to it will be heightened by seeing it in the cinema.”
He adds, “So for now, forget accolades, I wanna get bums on seats.”
While shooting this movie, Egerton became close friends with Elton and learned things about him that he never knew.
“The thing that surprised me most about him is that how shy he was as a young man, because if you meet him now he’s such a towering inferno of confidence and naughtiness,” Egerton says.
He was also impressed by how “grounded and normal” Elton is — even after 50 years of being a musical icon.
“He’s just a very grounded, lovely person and I’m very lucky to know him,” Egerton says.
Rocketman also stars Jamie Bell as lyricist Bernie Taupin and Richard Madden as Elton’s former manager/lover, John Reid.
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