Taron Egerton Bio
Taron Egerton (born 10 November 1989) is a Welsh actor known for his roles in both action and biographical films. He gained recognition for leading roles in the Kingsman series and won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Elton John in Rocketman. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he showcased diverse talent, starring in films as varied as Eddie the Eagle and Tetris. With a career that spans from 2012 to present, Egerton continues to make a significant impact in the entertainment industry.
Early Life and Background
Taron Egerton was born in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England, on 10 November 1989. His mother worked in social services, while his father ran a bed-and-breakfast near Liverpool. Both parents are natives of Liverpool. Egerton has two younger half-sisters. Although born in England, he considers himself to be Welsh and is fluent in both Welsh and English. His parents divorced when he was two, and he subsequently moved with his mother to the Welsh island of Anglesey, where he attended primary school. The family later relocated to Aberystwyth when he was 12 years old, which led to feelings of loneliness due to losing childhood friends. He began acting at age 15, which he later explained was as much about trying to be social and make friends as it was an interest in acting. Egerton attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2012.
Path to Hollywood
Taron Egerton performed in a stage production of The Last of the Haussmans at the National Theatre in London in 2012. After appearing in the crime drama series Lewis, he was cast as the lead role in Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, an action comedy film adaptation of the comic book The Secret Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, in 2013. He portrayed British Army officer Edward Brittain in the 2014 biographical drama film Testament of Youth, earning a nomination for Best British Newcomer at the BFI London Film Festival. Kingsman: The Secret Service was released in 2015, garnering highly favorable reviews and grossing over $400 million. Writing for TheWrap, James Rocchi deemed Egerton to be a naturally charismatic presence with smarts behind his smile as Gary “Eggsy” Unwin, a recruit for an espionage organization. Egerton rose to fame with this role.
Taron Egerton Career
Early Career (2012–2018)
Egerton starred in the crime film Legend in 2015. At the 69th British Academy Film Awards in 2016, he received a nomination for the BAFTA Rising Star Award. In the same year, he played ski-jumper Eddie the Eagle in the eponymous biopic and voiced Johnny, a passionate gorilla, in the animated musical film Sing. Egerton reprised the role of Eggsy in the film Kingsman: The Golden Circle, a sequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service, released in 2017. He starred in the crime drama film Billionaire Boys Club and played the title character in the action-adventure film Robin Hood in 2018. Both films were failures commercially and critically, with Egerton later specifying that Robin Hood was not the film he had signed up to create.
Breakthrough (2019–2023)
Egerton’s breakthrough came with his portrayal of singer Elton John in the biographical musical film Rocketman, released in 2019. He learned to play the piano for the part and sang live in each take during filming. The film received positive reviews, and Egerton’s portrayal earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. He also garnered a British Academy Film Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role and a Grammy Award nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for his work on the film’s soundtrack. That same year, Egerton narrated the audiobook version of John’s autobiography, Me, and the two performed on stage together several times. Egerton voiced Moomintroll in the animated series Moominvalley and Rian in the fantasy series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. He reprised the role of Johnny in Sing 2, which released in 2021. Egerton starred in the play Cock by Mike Bartlett, marking his West End debut. After missing performances due to health issues, he exited for personal reasons. The production garnered mixed critical reception, with Egerton’s performance gaining praise.
Notable Works and Milestones
Egerton’s signature work includes Rocketman, for which he won a Golden Globe Award. He has also garnered a Grammy Award nomination for his work on the film’s soundtrack.
Taron Egerton Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Taron Egerton has received several award nominations, including a nomination for the BAFTA Rising Star Award and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role in Black Bird.
Taron Egerton Awards Won
Taron Egerton won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his performance in Rocketman.
Taron Egerton Family
Taron Egerton lives in West London. He describes himself as having come from a working-class background.
Personal Life
Following speculation about his sexuality, Egerton explained that it is a joy to support his gay friends, though he is not himself gay. However, as a teenager, he questioned whether he was gay and felt very panicked and upset about how he would be perceived.
