Elton John celebrates birthday with very familiar face

Leave it to Elton John to turn a birthday into a full-circle moment.

The music legend celebrated in style this week – and fans got a surprise cameo they did not know they needed. Taron Egerton, who famously played him in Rocketman, showed up for lunch, prompting John to declare it “Rocket Man squared.”

Sharing the moment on Instagram, John kept it heartfelt and a little cheeky: “A brilliant birthday surprise having @taron.egerton join us for lunch. Thank you @davidfurnish for making today and every day feel special, and to all of you for the love, messages and support.”

The reunion hit differently for fans who remember the buzz – and backlash – when Egerton was first cast. At the time, critics questioned the decision, but John was not having it. 

“That’s all bulls—, I’m sorry,” he told The Sun in 2019. “If people don’t like it… it’s the movie I wanted to make and that’s all that counts.”

Egerton, for his part, tackled the conversation head-on. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said, “For me, kissing a man onscreen is no less appealing than kissing a woman onscreen… It makes no difference as to your sexual preference.”

Years later, the bond clearly stuck. From Cannes duets to casual birthday lunches, their friendship has outlived the film.

And if you ask Elton? The casting worked just fine. After all, as he once put it: I don’t see an actor, I see myself.”