Sir Elton John has praised actor Taron Egerton for re-recording Rocketman songs – adding that the upcoming film is “not Bohemian Rhapsody”, which saw Freddie Mercury actor Rami Malek lip sync to Queen.
Kingsman star Egerton plays the musician in the biopic, singing all of the hit maker’s tracks for the soundtrack.
Sir Elton said on his Apple Music show Rocket Hour: “I didn’t get involved in any of it. I just let you (Taron) go ahead.
“I knew you could sing because I heard I’m Still Standing, which you did in the film Sing.
“You’ve redone that in this film, so I think you should do an album of ten different versions of I’m Still Standing.
“It’s not Bohemian Rhapsody, where the brilliant Rami Malek, who played Freddie, lip synced.
“You’re actually doing the whole thing. I can’t congratulate you enough.”
Rocketman is directed by Dexter Fletcher, who stepped in to helm the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody after Bryan Singer was fired.
The film charts Sir Elton’s rise from prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music to global superstar.
When asked by Sir Elton what it was like playing him, the 29-year-old said: “Our film is different from Bohemian Rhapsody in the sense that we sing some of yours and Bernie’s songs, not only as performance pieces but as legitimate pieces of musical theatre.
“I know you were always very keen on this idea of a fantasy. That’s what our movie is. It’s a musical fantasy.”
Elton John’s Rocket Hour on Apple Music’s Beats 1 airs at 5pm on Saturday May 11.