It is hard to believe, but it has been an incredible ten years since Billy Elliot first hit cinema screens and took the world by storm. To celebrate, an exclusive film screening took place in London last week. This was followed by a rare question and answer session with writer Lee Hall, director Stephen Daldry (pictured) and producer Jon Finn – part of the creative team behind the film and musical.

Read some fascinating snippets of the discussion and find out how the lovable Billy Elliot made it on to the screen and continued on to the stage.


Where did the idea come from to make this critically acclaimed film into a musical?

Jon Finn:

We didn’t expect anyone to come to the first screening of the film in Cannes and then Elton John turned up out of the blue and wept throughout! He wanted to adapt the film into a musical and we all just laughed at the idea.

Lee Hall:

I thought it was the worst idea I had ever heard. I just couldn’t imagine it in another medium. Stephen and I then went to meet Elton in New York to discuss the idea further. I expected that like usual, Elton would write the music and Bernie Taupin would write the lyrics. It then became clear that Elton wanted me to write the lyrics as well as the book. At that point I was traumatised at the thought of it but very grateful. To write a musical based on your own script is almost unheard of. I would write the lyrics and fax them to Atlanta and then 12 hours later Elton would call and sing the song down the phone. It was mad. It was an unusual and difficult way to work but it was a lot of fun.

What qualities does a young actor need to play Billy Elliot?

Stephen Daldry (director):

Whilst watching the film again I kept seeing moment in Jamie Bell’s performance as Billy that relates to Billy on stage. These kids who play Billy in the musical have to go through a range of emotions and there is not a finished carbon copy. It a role that lives and breathes. The role is never the same with each kid. It is to do with the imagination of the child and his joy of performing; they need to capture the passion of the role. That is what makes a Billy.

The journey of Billy Elliot has been a long and incredibly successful one. When you look back, can you pinpoint your defining moment?

Stephen Daldry:

There have been many defining moments throughout the journey of Billy for me. One recently was when Dayton Tavares who plays Billy on Broadway, danced at the White House. The fact that a mixed race Australian kid was invited to play in front of First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House killed me, it was fantastic.