Top 5 Things You Didn’t Know About “Rocketman” Taron Egerton

He’s Ready to Crocodile Rock

He’s played Cockney gangsters, street-savvy secret agents and the world’s most legendary vigilante – but how well do you know him? For this list, we’re looking at five lesser known facts about Taron Egerton, the actor famed for movies like “Kingsman: The Secret Service”, “Legend” and “Robin Hood”. Taron is also playing Elton John in the legendary artist’s upcoming 2019 biopic “Rocketman”, meaning it’s only a matter of time before he floats into headlines everywhere, so you should prepare yourself with the following five facts!

#5: Born in England, Raised in Wales

He may have been born in the north of England, but Egerton actually considers himself more Welsh than English. The “Kingsman” actor moved from Cheshire to North Wales as a small child and spent the majority of his formative years there with his dad running a bed-and-breakfast out of the family home. It had an effect on the young Egerton too, who grew up not only speaking Welsh. His name even comes from the Welsh word for thunder which, given the growing gravitas he brings to every film he’s in, feels more than apt.

#4: An Early Brush with Fame

Taron first caught the acting bug as a teenager, when he was enlisted to play the part of the cross-dressing Mechanical Flute in a school production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. From there, it’s been a meteoric rise. By the age of 19, he’d taken his first step towards the big time after being accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Working in the same place as fellow RADA alumni like Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheen, Egerton spent three years at the prestigious acting school and even performed alongside Julie Walters at London’s National Theatre, in “The Last of the Hausmanns”, in 2012.

#3: Bonding with Colin Firth

Working alongside a member of English acting royalty like Colin Firth might have been a daunting prospect to some, but not Egerton. Cast alongside Firth in “Kingsman: The Secret Service”, the rising British star quickly struck up a bond with the beloved Mr. Darcy thanks to a shared work ethic and a great sense of humour. Reflecting on his work with Firth, Egerton once described how he’d obviously hoped that the pair would get on, but that it was a welcome “bonus” when they became actual buddies.

#2: A Passion for Animation

According to the man himself, Taron discovered his two big passions during his first trip to the cinema, when he apparently saw “Bambi”. The Disney classic introduced him to both the magic of movies and to his other great love, animation. If he hadn’t succeeded in his dream of working as an actor, the Cheshire-born performer says he would have pursued work in the field of animation, having shown a particular aptitude for drawing and art during his time at school. Alas, “Kingsman” came a calling and the rest, as they say, is history.

#1: The Kingsman Audition

It may have been the role of a lifetime, but landing the part of Gary “Eggsy” Unwin was reportedly a “long, drawn-out and uncertain process”. Over the course of five weeks, Egerton met with the team behind “Kingsman: The Secret Service” no fewer than five times – all while trying to convince them that he was the chap to make the movie work. That included a script reading at Matthew Vaughn’s home and a special stunt audition involving fake firearms. When he finally landed the part, Egerton reckons he celebrated with beer and pizza. But, he was soon back in the gym and immersed in a gruelling training regime – all to become the all-round action hero we know today!

For a more detailed look at the man portraying Elton John in the upcoming “Rocketman” film, check out the video below on WatchMojoUK for more clips and interesting facts you probably didn’t know!