Elton John confirms plans for “surreal” biopic
Elton John has said a film telling the story of his life is “very much in the works”, and Justin Timberlake would be his top choice for leading man.
The singer, 64, told the LA Times he would co-produce the film with his civil partner, David Furnish, and that it would be a “surreal look at my life, and not just a factual look at my life, more in the manner of a Moulin Rouge”.
He added that a “normal biopic” would not be appropriate “because my life hasn’t been like that”.
On the subject of who he would like to portray him, he said: “I’ve got a wish list of people. Number one on my wishlist is Justin Timberlake, because he played me before in a David LaChapelle video of Rocket Man and he was superb.”
In an April Fools article in 2008, PinkNews.co.uk suggested Eminem had been the first choice to star as a young Elton John in a planned biopic.
Timberlake said in July of last year that he was “stoked” New York had introduced marriage equality for gay couples, saying he was proud the state had “the balls to stand up for what’s right”.
Although casting has not yet begun, plans are under way for the production. He said: “We have a director on board, and then it’s just going to be a matter of getting the script exactly the way we want it. Lee Hall has written a script – he wrote Billy Elliot – and then we’ll start trying to cast and plan.”
John told the paper: “As Elton John, my days on pop radio are over, and I know that and I accept it and I’m not unhappy about it. It’s a different time of my life now, and it gives me the freedom to do whatever kind of music I want to do.
“When I say I don’t have to write pop songs anymore, there’s no way I’m going to get on the radio at 60 years of age unless I’m doing a duet with [Lady] Gaga or I was on All of the Lights, which was a Kanye West record that managed to get on the radio.”
In 2010, John and Furnish became fathers to their first child, Zachary. He confirmed earlier this year that Lady Gaga had been asked to act as godmother.
The BBC provoked controversy when it invited Christian fundamentalist Stephen Green to provide the only comment on its report on the child’s birth.
The Corporation said Green, who has publicly voiced support for state execution of gays, had been asked to speak on its flagship news programme to “balance” the debate over surrogacy for gay couples.
John also spoke this week of the love he had for his son, saying: “I’ve had an amazing professional life, personal life, but at 64 to have a son who gives us that much love and enjoyment is, wow!”
