The son of music publisher Dick James is firing back at Elton John for the way his father is portrayed in John's upcoming Rocketman biopic.
Stephen James called out John in a new interview with Express, saying John's depiction of his music publisher father amounted to a "character assassination."
"He's basically a coward," Stephen said. "He's never been able to express his emotions properly, certainly not to me. I don't understand why he seems to feel the need to try to destroy everybody who helped him. We only ever tried to do the best for him and promote his career. I really am very upset that he has turned on people in this way."
He says Rocketman's portrayal of his dad as a stereotypical, old fashioned, thug-like music executive came out of nowhere. It's the opposite of the kind, polite, patient man Dick James really was.
"It's rather upset me because my father was a nice guy," Stephen said. "Elton's own father had run off and wasn't around. He treated my father at the time as very much a father figure, and my father treated Elton very much as if he was a son. He gave him advice. He was always helping him. My father would always be there."
Actor Stephen Graham plays Dick James in the film, which opens in the U.S. this Friday.
Dick signed John and lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1967 after hearing their demo tapes. Later, he helped John become a superstar performer in his own right.
But in the mid-'80s, John and Taupin sued Dick for the right to their music, claiming the contract they signed in the '60s wasn't valid because they were both under 21 years old at the time. Eventually the case was resolved with Dick retaining rights to the music, but John and Taupin awarded royalties.
Dick died in early 1986.
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