Justin Timberlake was eyed to play Sir Elton John in ‘Rocketman’.
Before Taron Egerton landed the role as the ‘I’m Still Standing’ hitmaker in the blockbuster biopic, the music legend’s husband David Furnish – who produced the movie – has revealed they talked about getting the ‘Cry Me A River’ hitmaker on board after he impressed them when he portrayed Elton in his 2001 music video for ‘This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore’.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, David said: "But we never formerly approached Justin because we weren’t ever at a stage where it was the right time to approach him.
"But he did an amazing job in the video. He put on a prosthetic nose, and it turned out to have been some really interesting acting work as well."
Elton, 72, previously spoke of how he was very "moved" by Taron’s portrayal of him and admitted he was so "blown away" by seeing his story told on the big screen he couldn’t help but shed a few tears.
He said: "I never thought in my 73rd year that I’d be sitting here in Cannes with my own movie coming out; to be honest with you I was blown away. I cried the first time I saw it and I cried a lot this time.
"There are some very, very dark moments in the movie but the music lifts it out of the darkness and not only did he have to perform my life he had to sing my life and that’s a double whammy. When I look at him singing and when I look at him acting, I’m not looking at Taron Egerton, I’m looking at me and so that’s what moves me it’s like ‘This is me here.’ I’m very, very proud of this movie, I’m proud of my life, I’m proud of him [Taron].
"I knew Taron could sing and as soon as I met him I felt that there was something special there. When I heard him sing ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’ I was flabbergasted. I thought, ‘God this so difficult to sing, this is just as good as my version really.’"
Justin Timberlake was eyed for Rocketman before Taron Egerton
