Elton John gets his EGOT with 'Farewell From Dodger Stadium' Emmys win (original) (raw)
Elton John is feeling the EGOT love tonight.
The acclaimed musician, who had previously won Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards, finally capped off the last letter in "EGOT" with his Emmys win for Best Variety Special (Live) for his Disney+ variety show Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium on Monday night. With the honor, John became the 19th person ever to EGOT. (Previously, Viola Davis became the 18th when she won a Grammy last year.)
Because of a recent knee surgery, the musician was sadly not present at the ceremony Monday night, which was originally slated for last September but got delayed as a result of the writers and actors strikes. However, he did issue a written statement following his win.
"I am incredibly humbled to be joining the unbelievably talented group of EGOT winners tonight," John said in the statement. "The journey to this moment has been filled with passion, dedication, and the unwavering support of my fans all around the world. Tonight is a testament to the power of the arts and the joy that it brings to all our lives. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career, I am incredibly grateful."
disney +
Backstage in the Emmys press room, John's husband and fellow Emmy winner for the special, David Furnish, said he had called the musician following their victory. "We FaceTimed him. We woke him up in the middle of the night," Furnish said. "He’s back in the U.K. He’s had his left knee replaced, which isn’t surprising when you think of how many pianos he’s jumped off."
"He screamed out loud," Furnish said of his husband's reaction. "He was like, 'Yes!' He was really happy, incredibly honored. He said, 'I’m lucky to be in such talented and esteemed company.'"
John had been on the (yellow brick) road to EGOT status for quite some time. He won his first of five Grammy Awards in 1987 with "That's What Friends Are For," which was followed by his first Oscar for Best Original Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" in 1994. In 2000, he earned the Tony Award for his Aida score.
His winning special, Farewell From Dodger Stadium, showcased John's final North American show as part of the eponymous Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. The tour, heavily publicized as his last, kicked off in 2018 and was originally set to end in 2021, but was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also nominated in the category Monday night were The Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Starring Rihanna, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, The Oscars, and the 75th Annual Tony Awards.
En route to John's EGOT, his special won the other two awards it was nominated for at last weekend's Creative Arts Emmys. It won the Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special and Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special.
See all the winners from the 2023 Emmys here.
Additional reporting by Devan Coggan.
Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.
Related content: