David Furnish says he made a comforting discovery about his husband during production of the new Elton John documentary: the music superstar long desired to be a father.

It含羞草研究社檚 something the Toronto producer and co-director of 含羞草研究社淓lton John: Never Too Late含羞草研究社� didn含羞草研究社檛 expect to find when he culled through the archives and came across a candid interview taped almost 50 years ago.

In it, the now 77-year-old 含羞草研究社淏enny and the Jets含羞草研究社� singer mused about one day being a dad. Furnish said John was adamant at the beginning of their relationship in the early 1990s that he didn含羞草研究社檛 want kids.

含羞草研究社淎nd there he was in 1976 talking about what含羞草研究社檚 ultimately our life today,含羞草研究社� 61-year-old Furnish said in an interview Saturday at the Toronto International Film Festival.

含羞草研究社淚 came from a very happy family, so I always wanted to have kids, but Elton was like, 含羞草研究社楴o, my life含羞草研究社檚 too big, I don含羞草研究社檛 think I would be a good parent, I含羞草研究社檓 too self-centred.含羞草研究社� It was very much a non-discussion.含羞草研究社�

John eventually changed his tune and he and Furnish now have two boys 含羞草研究社� Zachary Furnish-John, 13 and Elijah Furnish-John, 11 含羞草研究社� through a surrogate.

Raising a family has brought new meaning to the music legend含羞草研究社檚 life, a point he made clear at the film含羞草研究社檚 TIFF premiere on Friday night.

含羞草研究社淥n my tombstone, I don含羞草研究社檛 want it to say he sold a million records. I want it to say he was a great dad and great husband,含羞草研究社� John told the audience after the screening as he wiped away tears.

含羞草研究社淓lton John: Never Too Late含羞草研究社� winds through the fruitful early years of John含羞草研究社檚 career when he delivered 11 albums in little more than five years after meeting his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin.

The documentary also explores the demons he grappled with, including his troubled childhood and the excesses of fame that led to the darker periods of his life.

Much of the previously unseen footage was pulled from two warehouses in London that hold stacks upon stacks of John含羞草研究社檚 archival materials, said co-director R.J. Cutler.

Seeing some of those memories on the big screen made John emotional, he added.

含羞草研究社淗e was shaking,含羞草研究社� Cutler said of the premiere. 含羞草研究社淭he connection that he含羞草研究社檚 experiencing through the film 含羞草研究社� is pretty powerful.含羞草研究社�

John briefly appeared on the TIFF red carpet with the filmmakers before hopping on a purple golf cart with his husband and being whisked inside the theatre. Earlier in the week, he announced on social media that he was recovering from a 含羞草研究社渟evere eye infection含羞草研究社� that含羞草研究社檚 left him with limited vision in one eye.

John retired from touring last year after an extensive run of farewell shows around the world. Furnish said as of late, his husband is seeing his career a bit differently.

含羞草研究社淏ecause he含羞草研究社檚 not nostalgic; he含羞草研究社檚 also not very good at taking a compliment. There含羞草研究社檚 never any laurel resting at all,含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社�(Now) he含羞草研究社檚 looking at that early performance footage 含羞草研究社� out on the road doing gig after gig 含羞草研究社� and he含羞草研究社檚 saying, 含羞草研究社楪od, I was bloody good, wasn含羞草研究社檛 I?含羞草研究社� He含羞草研究社檚 actually allowing himself to drink it in.含羞草研究社�

While Furnish and John spend much of their time in the United States and overseas now that John is no longer touring, he said they含羞草研究社檙e looking forward to moving into an apartment they含羞草研究社檝e purchased in Toronto next year.

含羞草研究社淲e can含羞草研究社檛 wait, our sons can含羞草研究社檛 wait 含羞草研究社� they love Canada,含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檒l be nice to have a base here.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淓lton John: Never Too Late含羞草研究社� makes its Disney Plus debut on Dec. 13.

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David Friend, The Canadian Press