The 'Kingsman' actor who takes on the role of Elton John in biopic 'Rocketman' insists onscreen roles should be given to actors regardless of their sexuality.
- Mar 21, 2023
AceShowbiz - Taron Egerton says there shouldn't be a "blanket rule" about straight actors taking on gay roles. The 33-year-old actor - who was lauded for his portrayal of Sir Elton John in "Rocketman" and also portrayed a homosexual man in his brief stint in West End play "Cock" - has always felt "an affinity" with the gay community and doesn't think real-life sexuality should be a factor in casting decisions.
"I grew up in a very liberal town, and a couple of my close friends are gay. I feel an affinity with that community. I don't particularly feel that there should be a blanket rule about whether straight actors should play gay roles. That's very easy for me to say as a straight man, but I think that's possibly a precedent not worth setting," he told Telegraph magazine.
Taron's parents split up when he was a child and he thinks growing up with largely just his mother has made him "feminine masculine." He said, "My father was in my life, [but] not day-to-day in the home environment. So I guess I'm probÂably more what you would describe as feminine masculine than masculine masculine."
"But I like that about myself. I like that I'm hopefully quite empathetic and in touch with my feelings - probably a bit too in touch with them. But I had a great mum, she worked really bloody hard for me. And now we look after each other."
On his birthday last November, Taron reflected on how he'd experienced "one of the most challenging" years of his life, and he's now explained it was as a result of his mother battling cancer and the subsequent emotions that brought.
He said, "My mother had cancer. She's fine now. But it felt like the end of my youth. You confront something that means you have to dispel any of the illusions and stories you tell yourself about anything fairy tale to do with life - you lose a lot of the lightness. It was just a tough experience."
