(“No studio other than Paramount would touch it with a barge pole,” he said.). Although, it was apparently Matthew Illesley, who played the youngest version of Elton/Reggie, who ended up the best piano player of the lot. 11:50 PM PST When he first saw a rough cut, the scene that used his 2001 song “I Want Love” particularly affected him. Early on, he develops a love for music finding he has a real talent on the piano keyboard, his … John couldn’t be happier with the result. “Then by the time things move on, he got too old — and he can’t sing!” Finally, the right team was assembled, including Taron Egerton in the leading role, director Dexter Fletcher at the helm, and a willing distributor in Paramount. How Elton John Captured the Uptempo Spirit of 'Rocketman' with Oscar Favorite '(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again' Ever wonder what A Christmas Story star Peter Billingsley and other adorable kids from holiday movies look like now? Though John executive produced through his Rocket Films, he stayed away from the set, leaving the day-to-day to his husband David Furnish and other producers. James Corden, Elton John Hosting Specials to Raise Money for Charitable Organizations This is a Facebook contact page for the website www.illesley.com where galleries and further information can be seen Age 26 years old. (2 & 3) His mother Sheila (Bryce Dallas Howard) and grandmother Ivy (Gemma Jones) are surprised when Reggie begins playing piano by ear and, later, composes his own music. Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. Revelling in the pure emotionalism of the stage musical, Mel Campbell is singing along to this Elton John biopic. Young Reggie is played by Matthew Illesley seen here in the opening number, "The Bitch is Back." “The whole family was in such chaos — my father, my mom, myself, and my grandmother, who was just wanting everyone to be happy or miserable,” he said. I was blown away by Matthew Illesley's and Kit Connor’s performances as the young Elton John. Matthew Illesley is a British actor who began his professional career in 2018, aged 9, playing Young Reggie in, Fri, Dec 11 The film opens with John in rehab recounting his childhood through “The Bitch Is Back” — both Egerton’s John and a younger version played by Matthew Illesley sing the 1974 song. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. The film’s frank depiction of drug use and sex helped earn it an R-rating. Olivia Brooks, 9 from Worcester in the Midlands was discovered by co-founders of Stagebox at just 8 years old. EPIX (676), Elton John Was Stunned by Taron Egerton in ‘Rocketman’: ‘I Was Looking at Me’, Movies That Rock: Band and Musical Group Biopics, Face-Off: 'Bohemian Rhapsody' vs. 'Rocketman', BAFTA Awards 2020 — Outstanding British Film of the Year. In 2018, Matthew also played the role of Rupert with the touring company of Nativity! “I broke down again because it just showed … the incredible love — Bernie was the glue that held the film together. Starring Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Steven Mackintosh and Matthew Illesley. Matthew Illesley, 10 from Gloucestershire was discovered by co-founders of Stagebox at aged just 7 years old. His memories take him back to his childhood, when as a child, born Reginald Dwight (played by Matthew Illesley), he felt like an awkward, introvert kid who suffered because of his parents` (Bryce Dallas Howard and Steven Mackintosh), lackadaisical attitude. “I just lost it in the Cannes Film Festival. The film opens with John in rehab recounting his childhood through “The Bitch Is Back” — both Egerton’s John and a younger version played by Matthew Illesley sing the 1974 song. 73 likes. From village Churchdown, he landed the lead role of Young Reggie in Hollywood feature film Paramount Pictures, Rocketman. on on Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. Related There, one scene that touched him most was when John’s longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) visits him in rehab. EPIX (677), Fri, Dec 11 His age is around 15 years old. Matthew Illesley is a British actor who began his professional career in 2018, aged 9, playing Young Reggie in Rocketman (2019).In 2018, Matthew also played the role of Rupert with the touring company of Nativity! A big shout-out to the actors who play the younger Reggie Dwight (Elton’s birth name), Matthew Illesley and especially Kit Connor, very fine as the older Reggie. Matthew Illesley is a Child actor who is known for his appearance in the famous biographic movie about the life of Elton John, who is a famous British Musical star since 1962. Cash Truck is an upcoming action thriller film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, based on the 2004 French film of the same name by Nicolas Boukhrief. On the piano side, Dame Harriet Walter and Matthew Illesley had played previously, while other cast members were comparatively new to the instrument. It was over 12 years ago that Elton John began developing “Rocketman,” a film about his life, and he had strict requirements: It needed to be R-rated, so as to not soften the music superstar’s battle with drug addiction or gloss over his sexuality, and required “a bit of strangeness to it,” John said during a post-screening Q&A for guild members at the Paramount lot Tuesday. “And that song, they started singing that and I broke down. And when I was hearing the voice, I was hearing me, but it wasn’t me,” he said. The Best Slasher Movies Ever Made, From 'Candyman' to 'Psycho' The story telling of Reginald Dwights (Matthew Illesley a little older played by Kit Connor) early life, when he finds it difficult to connect with his mother and get the attention he wanted from his father. Asked about his childhood, he starts singing “The Bitch Is Back” — “I was justified when I was five / Raising Cain, I spit in your eye” — and we transition to a scene in the muted pastels of ’50s suburbia where 6-year-old Reggie Dwight (Matthew Illesley) leads townsfolk in a … Close. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Rock star biopics are big business of late. Egerton sings all of the songs in the movie, sometimes joined by his co-stars. From an early age, young Reginald Dwight (Matthew Illesley as a boy, Kit Connor as an adolescent) loved music, developing a particular interest in the piano. No need to waste time endlessly browsing—here's the entire lineup of new movies and TV shows streaming on Netflix this month. The rather pedestrian (and factually flawed) Bohemian Rhapsody absolutely cleaned up at the box office and even garnered some ill-deserved awards into the bargain. Directed by Dexter Fletcher. Opens Friday everywhere. Rocketman is based on the real life story of the British singer and songwriter and was released in the UK on Wednesday. James Corden, Elton John Hosting Specials to Raise Money for Charitable Organizations, How Elton John Captured the Uptempo Spirit of 'Rocketman' with Oscar Favorite '(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again', The Best Slasher Movies Ever Made, From 'Candyman' to 'Psycho', 2020 Fall Network TV Schedules: What's Returning, What's New, and What's Canceled on NBC. I knew immediately that for those cast members less experienced in singing, their dramatic capacity would be key to my vocal coaching. Matthew Illesley plays the eight-year-old prodigy with the song ” The Bitch Is Back”. “Tom Hardy was going to play me,” John said. There were plenty of false starts. 25/05/10. He directs fantasy orchestras from his bed and warrants placement in music classes for the gifted. I know that Rocketman will open the door to these young actors for more roles, and hopefully, more musicals, to come. “Everything about it was extraordinary.”, Related the Musical. “When I saw Taron, I was not looking at him — I was looking at me. Matthew Illesley is a British actor who began his professional career in 2018, aged 9, playing Young Reggie in Rocketman (2019). It also features surreal sequences such as John and his audience levitating during his debut performance at the Troubadour. 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We get 10-year-old Elton (Matthew Illesley) singing “I Want Love” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” with his family and neighbors, even though the songs were co-written with his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin. This Article is related to: Awards and tagged Elton John, Rocketman, Taron Egerton. Matthew resumed his singing career and went on to write, “The Motions” and “You Are Everything” which firmly established Matthew as one of the industry’s premiere songwriters. I completely lost it.”. In fact, it’s reportedly the first movie from a major studio’s non-specialty label to feature a sex scene between two men, Egerton’s John and music manager John Reid (Richard Madden of “Game of Thrones”). How embarrassing is that?”. Beginning with a young Reginald Dwight at the age of 5 (Matthew Illesley), c. 1952, we see a self-obsessed mother (Bryce Dallas Howard), an often-absent, spurning military father (Steven Mackintosh), and loving grandmother (Gemma Jones) providing the crux of the relationships which define his adolescence. Young Reggie Dwight (Matthew Illesley) starts singing “The Bitch Is Back” to his older self and conducting an orchestra from his bedroom. Matthew Illesley Rocketman. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Matthew Illesley is a British actor who began his professional career in 2018, aged 9, playing Young Reggie in Rocketman (2019). Illesley. George Varley films for ITV as Young David Tennant for 2021 release. On a Royal Academy Of Music scholarship, Dwight is taken to lessons by his grandma (Gemma Jones). In 2018, Matthew also played the role of Rupert with the touring company of Nativity! When taking on the role of Elton John in musical biopic Rocketman, the singing came easily to star Taron Egerton, who actually performed "Your Song" as his audition piece for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. One thing John loves is using the songs to tell the movie’s emotional story, rather than appearing in chronological order of their recording. Copyright © 2020 Penske Business Media, LLC. They both have terrific voices and piano playing skills. the Musical. 121 minutes. All rights reserved. Matthew Illesley is a British actor who began his professional career in 2018, aged 9, playing Young Reggie in Rocketman (2019). (4) His talents get the older Reggie (Kit Connor) a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. 8:50 PM PST Written by Lee Hall. Please let us know if you think data we have about Matthew Illesley's height is not correct. Illesley was adorable wearing a tuxedo! In 2018, Matthew also played the role of Rupert with the touring company of Nativity! Matthew Illesley films as Jackson’s son in the anticipated 2021 release Cash Truck. 2020 Fall Network TV Schedules: What's Returning, What's New, and What's Canceled on NBC. the Musical. Check out our gallery. I did not expect Rocketman to be a full-on musical. Matthew previously made his screen debut in Rocketman as Young Reggie. Our relationship, it survived everything, survived all the bad behavior and the success,” he said. He didn’t see the final version until its Cannes premiere in May. Another fan favorite, Matthew's song "Do Something," is a great reminder about the importance of serving others by being the hands and feet of Christ, and doing something to make a difference in this world. 969 Followers, 570 Following, 82 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Matthew Illesley (@thematthewillesley) Amazon.com: Rocketman (4K UltraHD & Blu-ray) [2019] [Region Free]: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Gemma Jones, Steven Mackintosh, Tom Bennett, Matthew Illesley, Kit Connor, Charlie Rowe, Dexter Fletcher: Movies & TV Furthermore, he is just at the age of ten when he started gaining mainstream recognition for his appearance in the first-ever movie he has been into, Rocketman. Particularly affected him Bryce Dallas Howard, Steven Mackintosh and Matthew Illesley seen here in the anticipated release. Rough cut, the scene that used his 2001 song “ matthew illesley singing Want Love particularly! 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