On “Rocketman’s” adherence to the truth:
“I would not have played this character if: one, I wasn’t allowed to show Elton being a nightmare, because he has been; two, if we weren’t able to explore his drink-and-drug addiction because I don’t think you can tell a story without it; and three, if I didn’t think we could make a film that the gay community would watch and feel a sense of ownership over. What right do I have to play Elton John if I am not going to go the same lengths to portray a gay relationship as a gay actor would?”
On those “lengths” he went to portray a gay relationship:
“I felt [costar Richard Madden’s] penis. I mean I don’t want… the studio will get frightened about me saying. On my leg… we shot a scene where we are both naked on a bed and we are rolling around. I don’t really know how much further we could have gone.
Related: Elton John gives his honest review of the ‘Rocketman’ sex scenes
In the script, this is the scene of Elton losing his virginity and we wanted to try to do that justice, and also at that point their relationship hasn’t broken down yet.
They were falling in love and it’s beautiful because it should be.
We didn’t want to play like they were a couple who were eventually going to fall apart, we wanted to play it like two guys in their early twenties who are falling in love and who are incredibly sexually attracted to each other, so we both stripped down to nothing and rolled around in a bed together for half a day.”— Taron Egerton speaking to Attitude. Head here for the full interview.
Invader7
Shocker.A straight man touched another mans penis. It’s the 21st century. There are more newsworthy items to cover..
Hdtex
Then why are you here?
Herman75
He is excited about the movie and has a lot to say. I am anxious to see the move and hear more from T.E.
Catholicslutbox
This is bs hype.. they’re just trying to sell more tickets.
I thought they all wore cups or something…
startenout
Then why did you even read it? The headline was obvious
DuMaurier
It’s sort of fun to read about, but it sounds more like he bumped into it than ‘touched’ it.
Now, if you want to see ACTUAL ‘touching’, check out a scene from Bertolucci’s “1900” I’m pretty sure was cut in American theaters (I was too young to see it then); Robert De Niro and Gerard Depardieu in bed with a prostitute (and both decades younger than now!) It’s brief but pretty hot.
it me
LOL you think Richard Madden is straight?
am
OMG REALLY? I’m so hyped about this movie!!!!!! OMG! Two straight guys playing gay guys touch each other during the filming of the movie where they play gays! OMG! That’s so unexpected! I’m truly stunned. OMG!!!
Doug
LOL
Crystix
So hyped you had to troll an article about it. I think “AM” doth protest too much. Let the gays who love Taron and the thought of him rolling around touching a man’s penis for half a day enjoy the thought instead of making it about your need to troll on others’ fun
OzJosh
Can Egerton’s agents please advise him that he sounds like a complete and utter twat. “I felt a penis on my leg!” Oooooh, big brave boy. Were you scared? And: “I’m not sure how much further we could have gone.” I have some links to some porn sites if Egerton would like to educate himself. But he may be shocked to know that a penis grazing a leg is not scaling the heights of gay sex. Nor is it ground-breaking in the depiction of gay sex in cinema. As for claiming he wouldn’t have done the film if it didn’t satisfy his high ideals for representation… don’t make me laugh. Egerton is a pretty minor player and this is his first leading role in a film. I’m willing to bet he’d have gone to any lengths – maybe even touched a penis – for the gig, and without even reading the script.
JK 1984
While I do agree that his comments make him sound like a twat, he has had lead roles in a few movies now.
2x Kingsmen movies, Eddie the Eagle, Robin Hood (apparently an awful version of it).
OzJosh
None of them were leading roles. He was either in an ensemble or secondary to a big-name star (e.g. Hugh Jackman).
Gary Q VV
Well, just as the old adage says and I’m sure Egerton agrees that, “Any news is good news”. I’ve read Elton’s thoughts about the film, and his reflection means far more to me than Egerton’s. Read it… it’s way, far better than this PR plug. Oh yeah, I’m dying to see the film, little peewees touching, or no little peewees touching. There’s a difference between love-making – and slobbering sex. Elton said he wanted to convey how intensively in love he was at that time. Spoiler alert Egerton, this movie has nothing to do about you, dude.
JED08
Gary Q VV What’s your reason for being pissy towards Taron? Everything that I’ve heard and read said that he was nothing but a pleasure to work with. If and when he gets nominated for his work in the film, it sounds like you want him to know that that also has nothing to do with him because he’s so irrelevant to the whole project.
Gary Q VV
@JED08 Hey, you got it correct. He is completely irrelevant to the storyline. This film is about Elton’s life at that time. Just as other “movie actors”, he’s saying between the lines that it’s “all about me, I’m a normal guy and I’m not gay, oh no, not me”. JED08, do you really understand what I and others have committed about here? You and a few others seem to be fixated on an average-pretty face, and are forgetting about Elton. In your reply to my comment you didn’t once even so much as mentioned Elton. Shameful.
batesmotel
I’m sure this kid did a decent job as Elton, but only time will tell once it’s ran it’s course in theaters. Although I don’t get the fascination of why he felt the need to hammer home that he felt the actors penis against him while filming. Half the world has a penis it’s not a big deal. It’s not like you’re being brave as a straight men to allow that to happen. The biggest irony is how he felt that at all. Usually in these studio films the actors wear pasties or pieces over their privates.
Rex Huskey
because fool, it is HUGE!
chillin_b4_a_drillin
Just consider yourself as being christened like a champagne bottle against the bow of a new ship, Taron my lad.