Entertainment'Rocketman' Star Taron Egerton Moved to Tears During Standing Ovation at Cannes

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a writer and scholar known for his fantasy works like “The Hobbit,” “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Silmarillion.” He also taught English at the University of Leeds and Oxford. In 2008, Tolkien was ranked sixth on The Times list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945," and in the following year, he became Forbes' fifth top-earning "dead celebrity."

Directed by Dome Karukoski, “Tolkien” stars Nicholas Hoult as the orphaned writer and Lily Collins as Edith Bratt, his wife. The film is based on his journey to becoming a legendary writer, poet and academic during World War I.

One of the most prominent figures in French literary history, Colette (1873-1954) was best known for “Gigi,” which was adapted as a musical in 1958. She became a sexual and literary revolutionary after escaping her first husband Willy, who took credit for her early work. Colette was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948.

Taron Egerton: 'Elton John got really emotional at Rocketman premiere'

Elton John and his husband David Furnish were overcome with emotion at the premiere of Rocketman at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. 

Directed by Wash Westmoreland, “Colette” stars Knightley as the feminist French author. The biopic is about the novelist’s battle against her oppressive husband Willy (Dominic West) and her fight to make her talents known to the world. The film also stars Eleanor Tomlinson, Fiona Shaw and Robert Pugh.

Bush served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001-09. Prior to entering the White House, the Republican served as the governor of Texas for two terms. In his younger years, he also worked in the Texas oil industry and was the owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks happened eight months into his first term and led to the U.S. launching the “War on Terror,” a military offensive that included wars in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003).

The Oliver Stone-directed film “W.,” starring Brolin in the titular role, chronicled the life and presidency of the 43rd president. The actor earned a Hollywood Film Awards for his performance.

Kennedy served as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts for over 40 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A lifelong Democrat, he was one of the most prominent members of the Kennedy clan. He was the youngest brother of John F. Kennedy – the 35th president of the United States – and Senator Robert Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated.

What Rocketman gets right that Bohemian Rhapsody got wrong

It's all about the facts.

Director John Curran's "Chappaquiddick" stars Clarke as Ted Kennedy and Kate Mara as Mary Jo Kopechne, a campaign strategist. The film chronicles the aftermath of the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident, when Kennedy accidentally drove his car into a lake and Kopechne, who was also in the car, drowned.

Cosmologist Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018, was known for his scientific works, including gravitational singularity theorems and Hawking radiation. One of the most renowned theoretical physicists since Einstein, Hawking earned more than a dozen honorary degrees.

James Marsh’s “The Theory of Everything” (2014) explores the relationship between the famous physicist and his wife. Redmayne’s performance was hailed by critics and he went on to win the 2015 Academy Award for Best Actor for the role.

Harding is a former figure skater, who was the champion at the 1991 U.S. Championship and a silver medalist at the World Championship that year. A two-time Olympian, she was banned from the U.S. Figure Skating Association for hindering the prosecution regarding the attack on her Olympic teammate Nancy Kerrigan.

Australian actress Robbie portrays the role of Harding in the Craig Gillespie-directed film "I, Tonya" (2017). It recounts the attack on Kerrigan during the 1994 National Figure Skating Championship by Harding's former spouse Jeff Gillooly. The incident led to the end of the figure skater's career.

amFAR Gala Brings Out The Very Rich Glamour Crowd Showing The Flip Side Of The Cannes Film Festival

amFAR Gala Brings Out The Very Rich Glamour Crowd Showing The Flip Side Of The Cannes Film Festival

Regarded as one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian Era, Dickens (1812-70) created some of the most popular fictional characters through his works. Dickens achieved huge literary success through his novels such as “A Christmas Carol,” “Oliver Twist,” “Great Expectations” and “A Tale of Two Cities,” to name a few.

English actor Stevens plays Dickens in the movie “The Man Who Invented Christmas” (2017). It describes the novelist’s journey leading to the creation of his acclaimed novel “A Christmas Carol.”

Known as America’s greatest inventor, Edison (1847-1931) invented the phonograph, motion picture camera and electric light bulb, and had more than 1,000 U.S. patents in his name.

The English actor portrays Edison in “The Current War,” directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. The film deals with Edison’s conflict with American entrepreneur George Westinghouse regarding the electrical methods to provide power to the masses. Although the movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017, it released only in a few countries in 2019.

American novelist Salinger (1919-2010) was a world-famous author who led a private life. His well-known books are “The Catcher in the Rye,” “Nine Stories,” “Raise High the Roof Beam” and “Franny and Zooey.”

The English actor plays the role of the celebrated author in “Rebel in the Rye” based on the book “J. D. Salinger: A Life” by Kenneth Slawenski. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 24, 2017, and released on Sept. 15, 2017.

'I couldn't cope with success': Elton John reveals he finds scenes featuring his descent into drug addiction and bulimia in new biopic Rocketman 'difficult to watch'

His journey to rock superstardom has been documented in the lauded new biopic, Rocketman.

A businessman and philanthropist, Kroc (1902-84) is credited with the success of global fast food giant McDonald’s. Kroc joined the company in 1954 and built it into one of the most successful fast food operations in the world.

The Oscar winner portrayed the role of the American businessman in the John Le Hancock-directed “The Founder.” It was released in the U.S. on Jan. 20, 2017.

The now retired airline captain and aviation safety consultant successfully executed an emergency landing of the U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., on Jan. 15, 2009. All the 155 passengers and crew on board were rescued by boats.

The Oscar winner starred as Sullenberger in the Clint Eastwood-directed “Sully." The movie was released on Sept. 9, 2016.

The Panamanian professional boxer is widely regarded as one of the greatest lightweight boxers of all time. He was given the nickname Manos de Piedra (Hands of Stone) for his ferocious punching power. Durán held the world title in four different world classes and retired from boxing in 2002.

The Mexican actor, a César Award winner and Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, played the boxer in “Hands of Stone.” The movie released on Aug. 26, 2016.

The former defense contractor and CIA employee copied and leaked classified NSA information about global surveillance programs. Snowden currently resides in Moscow, Russia, while seeking asylum elsewhere in the world.

Gordon-Levitt played the NSA whistleblower in “Snowden,” which released on Sept. 16, 2016, garnering mixed reviews.

Doss (1919-2006) was a U.S. Army corporal who served as a medic during World War II. He was the first conscientious objector who won a Medal of Honor for saving the lives of 75 of his comrades while under constant enemy fire during the Battle of Okinawa in Japan.

In the Mel Gibson-directed “Hacksaw Ridge,” Garfield played Doss. The movie released on Nov. 4, 2016, and received various awards and nominations including six Oscar and three Golden Globe nominations.

A senior officer of the U.S. Army, Patton (1885-1945) commanded the U.S. Seventh Army in the Mediterranean and European theaters during World War II.

The actor (1927-99) played the general in “Patton” (1970) and won an Oscar for the role, though he refused to accept it on philosophical grounds. The movie is based on the biography “Patton: Ordeal and Triumph” by Ladislas Farago and has won six more Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

The co-founder of Apple, who died on Oct. 5, 2011, spearheaded a number of technologies that have become ubiquitous today, including the iPhone and iPad. Synonymous to the black turtleneck, Jobs is widely accepted as a pioneer in the microcomputer revolution phase.

Jobs' character in “Steve Jobs” (2015) was portrayed as that of a narcissistic megalomaniac in the movie, for which Fassbender received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

The American Baptist and activist played an instrumental role in the Civil Rights movement. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, King followed the ideologies of non-violence and civil disobedience for combating racial inequality and was honored a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

The actor portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr. in the film “Selma” (2014), which was directed by Ava DuVernay. The actor bagged the Best Actor award at the African-American Film Critics Association, Chicago Films Critics Association Awards, Palm Springs International Film Festival and Santa Barbara International Film Festival for his portrayal of King. The film was awarded the 2015 Academy Award for Best Original Song.

The 19th-century eccentric and romanticist landscape painter, known as the “painter of light,” had mastered the watercolor painting art form. He died in 1851.

Spall bagged the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival 2014 for his portrayal of Turner in Mike Leigh’s “Mr. Turner” (2014). The movie also won four Oscar nominations.

The South African anti-apartheid revolutionary was the country’s first black head of state who is described as the “Father of the Nation.” Mandela, who passed away on Dec. 5, 2013, has been bestowed with more than 250 honors, including a Nobel Peace prize.

In the 2013 British-South African biopic “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” Elba portrayed the role of the people’s leader, which earned him rave reviews.

Gandhi (1869-1948) was one of the key figures in the Indian Independence struggle against the British. His civil disobedience and non-violence ideologies are respected worldwide and his birthday (Oct. 2) is celebrated as International Day of Non-violence.

Hollywood actor Kingsley (R) completely transformed his physical appearance for the role in “Gandhi” (1982) and went on to win the 1983 Academy Award for Best Actor for the portrayal of the Indian leader.

One of the most celebrated sports figures, the boxer (1942-2016) was ranked the number one heavyweight fighter of the 20th century by Ring magazine and the Associated Press. In his boxing career, Ali had 56-5 win-loss record.

The biopic “Ali” (2001) describes Cassius Marcellus Clay’s (Muhammed Ali) journey to becoming the greatest boxers ever. Smith portrayed the role of the boxing heavyweight and also received the Best Actor Oscar nomination.

The first wife of Prince Charles, Diana is celebrated for her social service and charity works. Although her marriage ended in divorce and she was subjected to media scrutiny, Diana was a figure of poise. The princess died in a car accident on Aug. 31, 1997.

Based on Kate Snell’s book ”Diana: Her Last Love,” the film Diana (2013) shows the last two years of the princess' life post her divorce. The Hollywood actress looked strikingly similar to the princess in the film.

The 16th U.S. President led the country through its Civil War and worked towards abolishing slavery and economic modernization. He was assassinated in 1865.

Many biopics have been made on the American politician, one of which is “Lincoln” (2012) directed by Steven Spielberg, which describes his last efforts to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Day-Lewis portrays the president and won the 2013 Best Actor Oscar for his performance.

The American singer-songwriter (1930-2004), also called “The Genius,” was a pioneer in the soul music genre. He lost his vision when he was seven years old. Rolling Stones has listed him among the top 10 in the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”

Foxx portrayed the role of the rhythm and blues musician and swept the Best Actor award at the Oscars, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Critics’ Choice and BAFTA for his role in “Ray” (2014). Foxx is the second actor to have won all five big league awards for the same performance.

Mexican painter Kalho (1907-54) was famous for her self-portraits. Her works were inspired by Mexican culture and her style explored questions of identity, gender, class and race.

Director Julie Taymor revisited the life of the famous Mexican painter in “Frida” (2002), for which Hayek won Best Actress nominations at the Oscars and Golden Globe.

The first woman U.K. Prime Minister, Thatcher (1925-2015) was called “Iron Lady” by the media, a name synonymous for her uncompromising political beliefs and actions.

The British stateswoman’s life and career was depicted in Phyllida Lloyd’s “The Iron Lady” (2011). Streep was highly acclaimed for her portrayal of Thatcher and even won the 2012 Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Actress for the film.

The executive vice president of Baseball Operations and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball, Beane used sabermetrics (statistical analysis) to evaluate players. This prompted other teams to reconsider their methods of selecting players. He was also an inspiration for Michael Lewis’ 2003 book on baseball economics, “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game.”

Pitt played the role of Billy Beane in the movie “Moneyball” (2011) and received an Oscar nomination in the Best Actor category for his performance.

Former New England Welterweight Champion Dicky Eklund (L) was famously known as the “Pride of Lowell.” He is a former trainer of the WBU World Champion Micky Ward (R).

The film “The Fighter” (2010) details the lives of Ward, a struggling boxer, and his half-brother Dicky Eklund, who is a recovering cocaine addict, to get his career back on track. Christian Bale (R), who portrayed Eklund, won the 2011 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

The Facebook founder is among the top 10 in the Forbes list of the “Richest People in the World” and ranks among “The World’s Most Powerful People.”

Zuckerberg’s early days at Harvard University and his success with the social media platform have been depicted in the film “The Social Network” (2010). It was adapted from Ben Mezrich’s 2009 book “The Accidental Billionaires” and Eisenberg won rave reviews for his portrayal of tech titan and won a 2011 Oscar nomination.

The American model (1926-62), who acted in numerous movies, was known for her sensuous portrayals in the 1950s. Monroe continues to be a cultural icon and an inspiration to many leading ladies of the recent times.

Simon Curtis’ “My Week with Marilyn” (2011) is an account of a week Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) spent with the actress. Williams was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actress for her performance in the film.

The last emperor of India (1895-1952) saw the dissolution of the British Empire and the transition to an association of independent states.

Director Tom Hooper’s 2010 biopic “The King’s Speech” delved into the king’s effort to overcome stammering before he ascended to the throne. Firth won the 2011 Best Actor Academy Award for the film, which won four Oscars overall.

Nobel laureate Nash (1928-2015) was a celebrated mathematician who contributed in game theory, differential geometry and partial differential equations. In 1994, he won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and also received the Abel Prize in 2015.

Nash’s life was depicted by director Ron Howard in the film “A Beautiful Mind” (2001). The movie was inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book of the same name. Crowe won best actor awards at the 2002 Golden Globe and BAFTA for his performance.

American politician and the first openly gay elected official in California, Milk was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His career in politics lasted only 11 months. On Nov. 27, 1978, he and the San Francisco mayor was assassinated by Dan White.

In 2008, director Gus Van Sant made a biopic on the official, titled “Milk.” Penn swept the best actor awards in 2009 —he won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award — for his brilliant portrayal.

A mechanical engineer by profession and a hiking enthusiast, Ralston had to amputate his forearm to free himself from a dislodged boulder after he met with an accident in 2003 while hiking in the Blue John Canyon in Utah. He was trapped in the canyon for five days and seven hours.

Danny Boyle portrayed Ralston’s story in his 2010 film “127 Hours.” The survival drama won Franco a nomination for Best Actor at the Oscars.

The American businessman and aviation tycoon (1905-76), who was also a film producer, experienced an advancing obsessive-compulsive disorder in the latter stages of his life.

Martin Scorsese’s 2004 film, “The Aviator,” was based on the business tycoon’s life from the late 1920s to mid 1940s. DiCaprio won the 2005 Golden Globe for Best Actor for his performance.

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889-1977) rose to fame in the silent film era. With an expansive career spanning 75 years, he was awarded a Honorary Academy Award in 1972 for “incalculable effect in making motion pictures an art form of the century.”

The biopic of the legendary English comedian and filmmaker was produced and directed by Richard Attenborough and was titled “Chaplin” (1992). For his performance, Downey Jr. won best actor nominations at the Oscars and Golden Globes.

Belfort is a former stockbroker who pleaded guilty to fraud in manipulating the stock markets and functioning a boiler room in connection with a penny-stock scam.

Belfort’s memoir “The Wolf of Wall Street” was adopted into a film of the same name in 2013 by Martin Scorsese. DiCaprio’s performance won him critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

The English cryptanalyst and mathematician (1912-54) initiated the development of theoretical computer science by formalizing algorithm and computation concepts with the Turing machine.

Director Morten Tyldum’s “The Imitation Game” (2014) was based on the life of this genius computer scientist. The film won a clutch of Oscar and Golden Globe nominations in 2015, two of which were for Cumberbatch, for his performance.

The expressionist artist (1912-56) was famed for his unique style of drip painting. He was regarded as a major artist of his generation.

Harris’ performance in the American painter’s biopic “Pollock” (2000) earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 2001.

The German industrialist (1908-74) and a member of the Nazi party saved more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his many factories.

Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film “Schindler’s List” won the 1994 Academy Award for Best Film and Best Director. Neeson won rave reviews and nominations at the Oscars and Golden Globe.

Nicknamed “The Raging bull,” the retired professional boxer (1922-2017) and former World Middleweight Champion had a reputation of being a “bully” due to his fighting style.

The boxer’s memoir “Raging Bull: My Story” was adapted into the movie “Raging Bull” (1980). De Niro won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1981 for his performance.

In 1947, he became the first African-American to play in the Major League Baseball. Robinson (1919-72) had an expansive 10-year career and is a recipient of MLB Rookie of the Year in 1947.

A biopic titled “42,” written and directed by Brian Helgeland, was based on Robinson’s life and achievements and was released in 2013. Boseman was widely appreciated for his performance in the biopic.

Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 32nd president of the United States and an astute statesman. He won four presidential elections and is often rated by scholars and leaders as one of the three greatest U.S. presidents, along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

The story of Roosevelt’s affair with his distant cousin Margaret “Daisy” Suckley was featured in the 2012 film, “Hyde Park on Hudson.” Murray received appreciation for his portrayal of the former U.S. President. He won a Best Actor nomination at the 2013 Golden Globes.

Famously known as Lawrence of Arabia, Lawrence (1888-1935) gained international repute for his role as a British liaison officer during the Arab Revolt (1916-18). He vividly described his work and associations in writing.

Military officer Lawrence’s biopic “Lawrence of Arabia” was released in 1962. O'Toole (1922-2013) won nominations both at the Oscars and Golden Globes.

A Vietnam War veteran is an American published author and a former NASA engineer. His memoir “Rocket Boys” was a New York Times bestseller and his “Josh Thurlow” series remains popular.

Released in 1999, “October Sky” – the biopic on this NASA engineer – was directed by Joe Johnston. The movie was based on his memoir “Rocket Boys.” It was one of the first major roles played by Gyllenhaal in his career which also won him critical acclaim.

Malcolm X was a minister, civil rights activist and prominent black nationalist leader. During the 1950s and 1960s, he was the spokesman for the Nation of Islam. The charismatic and inspirational orator encouraged African Americans to defend and advance themselves "by any means necessary," including violence. Malcolm X broke with the Nation of Islam shortly before his assassination on Feb. 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan.

In the 1992 movie directed and co-written by Spike Lee, Washington portrays Malcolm X during his adulthood, from his criminal days to Nation of Islam spokesman to his assassination. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.