An emotional Sir Elton John planted a kiss on Bernie Taupin as the long-time songwriting partners won an Oscar.
The duo behind some of the most enduring hits in popular music scooped the best original song Academy Award for (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again, which featured on Sir Elton’s biopic Rocketman.
When the result was read out by actress Gal Gadot, Sir Elton, dressed in a typically flamboyant purple outfit, looked to the sky and mouthed ‘oh my God’.
He then planted a kiss on Taupin’s head.
On stage, Taupin said: “Wow, this doesn’t suck.”
#Oscars Moment: @eltonofficial and Bernie Taupin win Best Original Song for "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from @rocketmanmovie. pic.twitter.com/IiW5mxyeXg
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 10, 2020
After Taupin paid tribute to the people who brought Rocketman to the big screen, Sir Elton said: “Thank you to Bernie, who’s been the constant thing in my life — when I was screwed up, when I was normal, he’s always been there for me.”
It was Sir Elton’s second Oscar, after he won in 1995 for his work on the Lion King soundtrack, but Taupin’s first.
Speaking backstage, the singer, who was missing his annual Oscars viewing party to be at the ceremony, where he also performed, dedicated the win to his musical partner.
“This is for him, this is for my partner of 53 years,” he said.
“Without him, I wouldn’t be here. He started the process, he gave me the lyric, without lyrics I’m nobody.”
Sir Elton, who turns 73 next month, added: “This is the man who started the journey and we’re still together after 53 years.”
The singer then praised the cast and crew of Rocketman, reflecting on the 12-year journey it took to bring his life story to the screen.
He reserved special praise for his husband David Furnish, who served as a producer on the film, and star Taron Egerton.
“For me, he was the best performance this year,” Sir Elton said, adding Egerton should have been nominated for best actor.
He also paid tribute to his two sons with Furnish, Zachary and Elijah, revealing he had called them in Australia following his win.
“They are so happy,” Sir Elton said. “I love them so much, they love their daddy.”
Sir Elton said that while the award meant a lot, the most important things in his life are “great children, great family, great friends and health”.
On their long-running partnership, which has produced some of the most well-known songs in popular music, including Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Rocket Man, Candle In The Wind and Your Song, Taupin said: “It’s like a marriage, it really is. One of the things that makes it work is being different.”
The Oscar win capped a remarkable 12 months for Sir Elton.
Last year saw the release of his biopic, a memoir and an upgrade on his knighthood.