Meet Richard Madden, ‘Rocketman”s John Reid
Richard Madden has racked up an impressive number of credits on stage, film and television over the past 20 years. He's best known to American audiences, however, for playing Robb Stark in the first three seasons of HBO's Game of Thrones. This summer, he'll be seen in the Elton John biopic Rocketman as John Reid, the rock legend's manager and boyfriend in the early- to mid-'70s.
His was the voice you heard in the October 2018 teaser trailer saying: "There are moments in a rock star's life that define who he is. Where there was darkness, there is now you – and it's going to be a wild ride."
Madden says he was intrigued by the project's diverse approach. "It was a great script which goes from really dramatic, intense scenes into a song and dance number, which is telling a whole different part of the story,” he told IMDB. Madden laughed when adding that his singing voice is "not great."
He heaped praise on co-star Taron Egerton for both his acting and singing, which he called "brilliant." Madden said that Egerton's voice helped steer him towards the project. "That's what, actually, really got me on board. I met Dexter Fletcher, the director, for lunch and I said, 'Can Taron sing?' And he said, 'Here, put these on,'" Madden remembered. "And I put these earphones on and listened to Taron singing 'Rocket Man.' And I got goosebumps for a moment and I heard the song new, like I'd never heard it before."
Richard Madden Talks About Playing John Reid in 'Rocketman'
Born just outside Glasgow, Scotland, the 32-year-old made his debut while still a teenager as Sebastian Simpkins in the BBC children's television show Barmy Aunt Boomerang. After that, Madden had mostly stage roles – including playing Romeo Montague in the Globe Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet – until his 2007 graduation from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Game of Thrones became Madden's breakout role, and he played Robb Stark until his character was killed off during the famously violent Red Wedding in the second-to-last episode of the third season. Madden gained further attention in 2018 in the acclaimed BBC series Bodyguard, where he starred as a war veteran affected with post-traumatic stress disorder who is hired to protect a politician (Keeley Hawes). That performance earned Madden a Golden Globe earlier this year for Best Actor – Television Series Drama.
See Richard Madden's Best 'Game of Thrones' Scenes
He has also been rumored to be in contention to be the next James Bond when Daniel Craig gives up the role after one more picture. If hired, Madden would be the youngest man to play 007 since Sean Connery originated the role.