Elton John Says His Kids Are ‘So Happy’ About His 2020 Oscars Win: ‘I Love Them So Much’
Elton John had a very important FaceTime call to make after his big win at Sunday’s 92nd annual Academy Awards.
Moments after accepting his Best Original Song Oscar, the 72-year-old legendary singer/songwriter sweetly checked in with the two children he shares with husband David Furnish: 9-year-old son Zachary and 7-year-old son Elijah.
“I just FaceTimed them,” John told reporters backstage at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, California, where the 2020 Oscars press room was staged. “They’re in Australia, and I’ll be FaceTiming [again] in the car when I leave.”
“They’re so happy,” he added. “I love them so much. They love their daddy. They were so excited about the Golden Globes, but this one is [special].”
The music icon went on to emphasize how important family is to him.
“You know, an award is an award,” John continued. “But as I say, the thing that matters most in my life is I have a wonderful husband and great children and great family and great friends and health. That is the most important thing.”
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A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on Dec 20, 2019 at 7:59am PST
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John — in his acceptance speech — gushed about his “beautiful boys,” explaining that they were watching overseas in Sydney. “How much do I love you? Daddy loves you,” he said then.
He took home the Best Original Song honor alongside his longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin for their hit “I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” the tune penned for John’s biopic Rocketman.
It is the first Oscar Taupin, 69, has ever won and the first John has received in 15 years (he previously won in 1995, for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King).
“This is for him. This is for my partner of 53 years,” John said in the press room of Taupin. “Without him, I wouldn’t be here. He starts the process. He gives me the lyrics, and then I go ahead. Without the lyrics, I’m nobody. This is the man who started the journey, and we are still together after 53 years. … I’m so thrilled for him because I love him so much.”
Taupin had equally sweet things to say about his bond with John.
“The basic theme of the whole movie is love and trust and believing in the person you are working with,” Taupin said. “I mean, it’s like a marriage, you know? It really is. And one of the things that makes it work is being different, having different lives, leading different lives, and — always coming back together for the music. The music is the thing that has run through the bloodline of our veins ever since we first met.”
Also backstage, John gave another shout-out to actor Taron Egerton, who was snubbed for his portrayal of the “Tiny Dancer” singer in Rocketman.
“Taron Egerton is especially — he should have been, I think … nominated as one of the best actors,” said John, after previously mentioning Egerton’s name in his Oscar acceptance speech. “For me, he was the best performance this year.”
That’s why winning was so important to John.
“I have one of these already, but I so wanted to get one for everybody involved in the film,” John revealed to reporters. “We’ve been — you know, this film has taken 12 years together. David, my husband’s, been on and on about 12 years trying to get this made. In the end, we got it made the right way, the way we wanted to.”
“When you work on something for 12 years as a team and you work really hard and … it comes out the way you want it to, it’s — this is a nice affirmation,” John said.
The 92nd Annual Academy Awards aired live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb. 9.
