From the spy to the rock star, Egerton does it all.

Taron Egerton is an actor of many hats, capable of inhabiting characters worlds away from the bubbly personality he shows the public. His performances have a way of breathing life into a story, turning even the simplest premise into something moving. From high-octane action to musical biopics and psychological thrillers, here are some of our favorite Taron Egerton roles.

Eggsy in Kingsmen Franchise (2014-2021)

Taron Egerton in Kingsmen: Secret Service (2024). Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.

In what’s widely considered his breakout role, and an unexpected box-office hit, Egerton plays protagonist Gary “Eggsy” Unwin alongside Colin Firth in the Kingsman spy franchise. In the first installment, Eggsy is a rebellious young Londoner whose life takes a sharp turn when a veteran agent introduces him to a secret organization his late father once served. Trading petty crime for tailored suits and covert missions, Eggsy gradually finds his footing as a spy, eventually adopting the codename Agent Galahad, after the knight of King Arthur’s Round Table. Over the course of the franchise, he grows into one of the agency’s most capable agents.

Elton John in Rocketman (2019)

Taron Egerton as Elton John in Rocketman (2019). Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

There are few greater feats in the blockbuster world than starring in a celebrity biopic, especially since 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody changed the game. In Rocketman, Egerton plays the larger-than-life Elton John from his young adulthood, when he was still known as Reginald Dwight, through his rise to stardom and eventual recovery. The film revels in the dizzying highs of fame, from extravagant fashions to performances on the world’s biggest stages, but its glories only make the lowest points every bit more harrowing.
&nbsp;It seems like Egerton was waiting his whole life for this role, whether he knew it or not. From singing “Your Song” to get into drama school to his character’s cover of “I’m Still Standing” in Sing, he’s not just had the chops, but shown them. What makes Egerton’s portrayal so effective is that he isn’t simply trying to recreate the most recognizable version of John, but instead brings his own sensibility to the role, making the performance feel like an interpretation rather than an impersonation.

Based on a true story, Black Bird is an eerie crime miniseries that follows a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game within prison walls. In a dramatic departure from his comfortable life, Egerton’s character is swept from his minimalist home into the confines and conflicts of a maximum-security prison. Eager to secure his release, Jimmy accepts an unusual offer that hinges on the charisma and people skills he honed as a businessman: gain the trust of a suspected serial killer and get him to confess to his murders. His target, Larry Hall, played by Paul Walter Hauser, is skittish but observant, making him an elusive subject to interrogate. Though initially reluctant, Jimmy takes on the task, navigating Hall’s unpredictable behavior in hopes of securing his freedom. But the stakes extend beyond Jimmy’s own desire to walk free. If Hall wins his appeal, a suspected serial killer could be released back onto the streets.

Johnny voiced by Taron Egerton for Sing (2016). Courtesy of Illumination.

When Sing hit theaters in 2016, it seemed like everyone from toddlers to 30-somethings was singing along. The animated film follows Buster Moon, a koala who hosts a singing competition to save his theater from foreclosure. In the Sing universe, Egerton voices Johnny, a teenage gorilla whose vocal talent clashes with his father's expectations. Johnny helps his father and his gang rob banks, but his real passion is music. In an act of defiant self-expression, he secretly rehearses for Buster's competition while simultaneously preparing for the next heist. Among the film's many heartfelt storylines, Johnny’s delivers the emotional climax: he covers Elton John's “I'm Still Standing,” taking the stage as a singer for the first time. Watching from a prison television, his father sees the performance and escapes to reunite with his son backstage. It must have been fate for Egerton, his cover of "I’m Still Standing" would foreshadow his role in Rocketman three years later.

Smoke, Official Trailer. Apple TV+.

Smoke — Official Trailer | Apple TV

From the creators of Black Bird, Apple TV+’s Smoke is a crime thriller miniseries that follows arson investigators as they hunt for serial arsonists across the Pacific Northwest. Egerton plays Dave Gudsen, one of the lead investigators on the case, starring opposite Jurnee Smollett, with whom he shares palpable on-screen chemistry. His character is multidimensional, offering a study of the flaws and sinister side lurking beneath the perceived “good guy.” He’s an astute profiler, but his ability to read people hints at darker depths of his own. Smoke is for fans of the slow burn, and Egerton, of course.

Apex, Official Trailer. Netflix.

Apex | Official Trailer | Netflix

His latest role sees Egerton embrace the outright villain, one with no sympathetic undercurrent that has colored some of his previous characters. He is purely a predator. When Sasha (Charlize Theron) ventures into the Australian wilderness on a solo trip, she has no idea that the man who offered her trail advice is leading her straight into a trap. In one of Egerton’s most heart-pounding performances yet, he plays Ben, a psychopathic killer who sadistically taunts Sasha through the cliffs, forests and unforgiving currents. The question is whether he will catch his prey, or whether she will turn the tables with her own wit and survival skills.

See All of Taron Egerton's Best Roles

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