Entertainment

Rob Delaney: My Elvis role was cut from Elton John movie Rocketman

The Catastrophe star said he dyed his hair black for the part, but his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
The Catastrophe star said he dyed his hair black for the part, but his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. The Catastrophe star said he dyed his hair black for the part, but his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.

Rob Delaney has said he was cut from the Sir Elton John biopic Rocketman – but only after filmmakers permanently dyed his hair black by accident.

The actor and stand-up, 42, said he had signed up to play Elvis Presley in the hit movie.

Speaking on his BBC Radio 6 Music show on Sunday, he urges listeners to see the film, “even though I’m not in the final cut”.

BAFTA Craft Awards – London
BAFTA Craft Awards – London The Catastrophe star has revealed he was due to appear in the Sir Elton John biopic (PA)

The Catastrophe star says: “I did shoot a couple scenes in the film as a guy named Elvis Presley, who you may have heard of, and they even dyed my hair black for it.

“In the make-up trailer they said: ‘Do you want the temporary dye or the permanent?’

“I was like, ‘temporary please’, and they put in the permanent by mistake, so it was black for six months after.

“My hair is black in another movie because of playing Elvis in Rocketman, which got cut, which is very funny, but that’s just the way the ball bounces sometimes.”

He said he felt no bitterness about being cut from the final version of the movie, which stars Taron Egerton as Sir Elton.

“I know when Sharon Horgan and I were making Catastrophe, we would frequently cut out things that we really enjoyed, just for time, so I bear no ill-will towards the makers of Rocketman.”

The US star quipped: “It’s excellent, even though I’m not in it. Please see it then just maybe PayPal me some money because I’m a little bit personally sad.”

Delaney and Sherlock star Martin Freeman have signed up to cover Elbow singer Guy Garvey’s slot on 6 Music.

Rob Delaney on BBC Radio 6 Music airs on Sunday from 2-4pm.