In a recent interview, Elton John
discussed gay sex scenes in Rocketman, the upcoming film about
his life.
Rocketman, which opens in the
United States on May 31, stars Taron Edgerton as John. Richard Madden
(Bodyguard) plays John's manager, John Reid, with whom John
had his first male relationship.
The film is being lauded for being the
first mainstream film to feature gay male sex. Last year's Bohemian
Rhapsody was criticized for “straight washing” Queen frontman
Freddie Mercury's life. Mercury was bisexual.
“I'm proud Rocketman is the
first major studio film with a gay love sex scene in it,” John told
The Mirror. “If I'd left it out, I'd have felt I was
cheating people. I'm so glad it's in there because I am a gay man and
I didn't want to airbrush it under the carpet. If they don't like it,
I understand, but it's part of who I am. That night was a very, very
important part.”
John also recalled his first sexual
experience with Reid.
“I was a virgin until then [age 23].
I was desperate to be loved and desperate to have a tactile
relationship,” he
said. “When they tear their clothes off in the movie, that was
how it happened. It was in San Francisco – when he is lying in my
arms and I'm sitting back with a smile I'm thinking, 'Ah, I'm normal,
I've had sex.'”