When I arrange to meet Taron Egerton in Londonâs Soho at the legendary CafĂ© Boheme, itâs a good three years and one global pandemic on from our last interview for Flaunt, in which we unpacked the role in Rocketman that catapulted him to international fame. Iâm sipping on a very strong coffee when he arrives, having spent the early hours watching the entirety of the gripping six-part mini-series Black Bird, which is kind of like saying Iâve just recovered from an excoriating emotional experience. Egertonâs debut outing as executive producer, now streaming via Apple TV+, and his first piece of work since portraying Elton John, is a genuinely pitch-black dramatization of the true story of James âJimmyâ Keeneâan imprisoned drug dealer offered his freedom by the FBI if he agrees to transfer to a maximum security penitentiary for the criminally insane and befriend a man convicted of killing a 15-year-old girl, who they firmly believe has raped and murdered countless others across the Midwest. Egerton plays the athletic and charismatic ladiesâ man Keene, whose life pre-incarceration revolves around fast cars, hollow sexual encounters and moving hefty quantities of heroinâa lifestyle brutally interrupted when he gets busted and sentenced to ten years in the can, which seems a bad enough fate, until his freedom-pact to get up-close-and-personal with serial killer Larry Hall plunges him into the seventh circle of hell. Adapted for the screen from Keeneâs biographical novel by the acclaimed Dennis Lehane, itâs a gritty and uncompromising offering that could not be further from the work Egerton has been known for thus far. Black Birdâs plot to inveigle incriminating details of multiple murders from a monster, in order to make sure he remains behind bars, excavates the darkest psychological corners of humanity.Â
âThis felt like a really grown up performanceâwell, me trying to give a grown up performance,â says the actor with characteristic modesty as we order two beers on one of the hottest days of the year so far, in a country that, like most others, is feeling the searing encroachment of climate change. âFrom the moment you land at Springfield Prison, itâs supposed to feel like youâre in the belly of the beast, and something really appealed to me about that darkness. Iâve loved what Iâve done so far, but I wanted to do something that felt heavier.â he continues, âAnd they are both such compelling characters. It felt almost like touching the void with the subject matter being what it is, and with what Larry Hall actually isâthe absolute darkest of the dark.â [Read More At Source]
Flaunt Magazine | Paint It Black
Written by Tiffany on July 23 2022
Black Bird 1×03 “Hand to Mouth” Episode Screencaptures & Stills
Written by Tiffany on July 21 2022
New York Times: After âRocketmanâ, Taron Egerton Transforms Again for âBlack Birdâ
Written by Tiffany on July 06 2022
nytimes.com -The 32-year-old plays an imprisoned drug dealer facing an unusual choice in the Apple TV+ series, written by Dennis Lehane.
Taron Egerton channeled a pop god in the Elton John biopic âRocketman,â winning raves â and a Golden Globe â for his portrayal of how a shy piano prodigy blossomed into an international superstar.
But in his latest role, as a convicted drug dealer in the new Apple TV+ drama âBlack Bird,â he had no outlandish sunglasses or feather boas to cast off when shooting wrapped each day. For âBlack Bird,â which is based on a true story, he had to cast off something darker: the confessions of Larry Hall, a man convicted in connection with one girlâs death who was suspected to have kidnapped, raped and killed many more.
âAs much as it was a great experience creatively, there were days where I went home feeling like, I donât really want to listen to this stuff anymore,â Egerton, whose characterâs task is to elicit those confessions, said in a recent video call from his London kitchen.
Egerton, 32, who has lent his soulful tenor voice to characters both flamboyant (John) and furry (the mountain gorilla Johnny in the animated musical âSingâ), could have taken his pick of just about any musical role after âRocketman.â And then there are those chiseled good looks and piercing green eyes, which seem to beg for a cape and spandex.
Instead, he wanted his next major on-camera role to be one that showed the world he was more than a song-and-dance man.
Apple Reveals Premiere Date & First Look of âBlack Birdâ
Written by Tiffany on April 01 2022
In With the Devil has been renamed to Black Bird. Apple released 2 new images of Taron as James Keene. Read below for more information on the show and when you can watch it!
Variety.Com – âBlack Bird,â a limited series starring Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser, will premiere on Apple TV Plus this July 8, the streamer announced Thursday.
Based on James Keene and Hillel Levinâs true crime memoir âIn With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption,â âBlack Birdâ stars Egerton as Keene, a police officerâs son who is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison for drug dealing. While serving his sentence, he is offered a chance for early parole, on the condition that he move to a prison for the criminally insane and befriend serial killer Larry Hall (Hauser). Keene reluctantly agrees to the unusual case, and develops a complicated relationship with Hall as he attempts to discover the truth behind the murders the convict is suspected of committing. In addition to Egerton and Hauser, the series also stars Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear and Ray Liotta.
âBlack Birdâ will premiere the first two episodes on July 8, followed by new episodes every Friday. The limited series will run for six episodes.
March 15th – “Cock” – Press Night – Curtain Call PhotosÂ
Written by Tiffany on March 15 2022
On March 15th, Taron Egerton and the rest of the cast Cock bow at the curtain call during the press night performance at The Ambassadors Theatre in London, England. Pictures can be seen below!
March 12th – Taron Attends the Universal Pictures and Focus Features Pre-Bafta Celebration
Written by Tiffany on March 13 2022
Stage Photos from “Cock” the Play
Written by Tiffany on March 11 2022