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Rocketman's Taron Egerton addresses 'straightwashing' claims against Elton John movie

Photo credit: Paramount
Photo credit: Paramount

From Digital Spy

Rocketman star Taron Egerton has opened up about accusations of straightwashing that emerged before the film was released.

The musical fantasy movie depicts Elton John's relationship with manager John Reid (Richard Madden), and includes intimate scenes between the two.

Some reports earlier this year suggested that a nude love scene between John and Reid had been cut, but this was swiftly denied by director Dexter Fletcher.

"It's rubbish. It's all nonsense. I haven't finished the film yet, but that is so key and fundamental to who Elton is," he said of the straightwashing claims.

Egerton has since said that the movie doesn't downplay the singer's sexuality, telling Empire: "He's a gay icon. And who are we, as frankly heterosexual filmmakers, to not put that element of his story? How dare we. And that's not what we did."

Photo credit: Paramount
Photo credit: Paramount

Related: Taron Egerton "loved every second" of filming Rocketman sex scene with Richard Madden

As for the sex scene itself, Egerton previously told Attitude that it's "very beautiful and something we are quite proud of".

"This is the scene of Elton losing his virginity and we wanted to try to do that justice," he explained. "I treat it with the same love, care and affection I would as if it was my first experience of falling for somebody.

Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images
Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images

"The rawness of that experience, the fear of that experience, but also the joy of the experience of Elton's first kiss... it's electric, it's exciting, your stomach is doing somersaults.

"I felt Richard's penis... on my leg. I don't really know how much further we could have gone."

Speaking about playing an LGBTQ+ character as someone who identifies as straight, Egerton has also previously addressed those who claim the role should have gone to a gay actor instead.

Photo credit: Paramount
Photo credit: Paramount

"I have spoken to gay people for whom it's not a problem, and I've spoken to gay people for whom it is a problem," he noted.

"I completely understand. But for my part, I'm an actor, and I did not get into acting to just play people like me.

"You have to draw the line somewhere, and I don't want to live in a world where straight people play straight people and gay people play gay people."

Rocketman is out in UK cinemas now and on May 31 in the US.


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