If history repeats itself, Taron Egerton could have a very big night at the 2020 Golden Globes.
Last year Rami Malek won Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, for channeling Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, and tonight Egerton easily end up winning for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, for his performance as Elton John in Rocketman.
Which, as you presumably know by now, included doing his own singing.
Asked why he wanted to take on that considerable challenge, Egerton told Ryan Seacrest on E! Live From the Red Carpet, that he was, frankly, "desperate to do it."
"I suppose it was written as a musical and I love to sing," Edgerton explained, "and I knew that I wanted to find a project that utilized that skill—and he's just such an incredible character, and so universally beloved, I mean for me it just felt like the perfect part. There was never any doubt that I was gonna, you know, do it."
Audiences who packed theaters to the tune of $195 million at the box office worldwide would agree that the English actor was particularly suited to play the iconic John, who advised the 30-year-old actor, formerly best known for the Kingsman films, not to try to do an imitation.
"He told me to try and make it my own," Egerton, looking dapper in a Giorgio Armani tuxedo, told Seacrest, "and he told me lots of things that don't bear repeating on camera, 'cause that is his way."
In his category, Egerton faces competition in the form of Daniel Craig for Knives Out, 12-year-old Roman Griffin Davis for Jojo Rabbit, Leonardo DiCaprio for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Eddie Murphy for Dolemite Is My Name—but Sunday night's going to be alright for winning for one of these talented fellows.
Egerton's date for the evening was his girlfriend, Emily Thomas, and they were joined by his whole family.
"Bursting with pride," he wrote on Instagram before they headed out.
Rocketman is also nominated for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, and Best Original Song for "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again."