It is not every day that a film crew from Mexico arrives in the Yorkshire countryside to capture your close-up – but that is exactly what has happened to an owl named Elton.
The spectacled owl turned budding film star was specifically chosen by the Mexican moviemakers to star in their film because of his ease around the camera.
Elton’s owners, David Edwards and Kieren Bathers, from Settle Falconry in North Yorkshire, said at first they were so surprised by the request that they thought it might be “too good to be true”.
“Over the next couple of weeks, the plans were put in place and we started film practice with Elton,” Mr Edwards said.
“He has always loved posing for cameras for our falconry experience day guests, so he was really in his element.”
The spectacled owl is a tropical species that originates from Central and South America, a far cry from the falconry in the Yorkshire Dales.
Apparently, according to the film crew, no local birds were up to the task in Mexico, so director Issa García, producer Franco Bautista and cinematographer Carlos Rossini made the transatlantic journey for a three-day shoot.
In a post on social media, Settle Falconry staff said Elton had been “flying the flag for spectacled owls in the Yorkshire Dales”.
“Elton was absolutely fantastic. It makes us so proud and we can’t wait to see him star in the film some time next year,” Mr Edwards said.
According to the filmmakers, Elton’s is not just a small cameo either – he will play “a key role” in the film, which addresses themes of healing and reconnecting with nature.
Elton will even have a “speaking” part throughout, using audio collected during the shoot in Settle, the film crew said.
However, thanks to cinema trickery, he is expected to appear against a backdrop of the South American rainforest, rather than the rolling hills of the Dales.
This is not the first time Elton has had a brush with fame either.
After he was born in 2024, Mr Edwards and Mr Bathers sent a picture to his namesake Elton John, who responded to call him “so adorable”.
However, fans of the feathered thespian will have to wait until the film’s release in 2026 to see him in action.
Mr Edwards and Mr Bathers have been invited to the premiere in Mexico City for a first look at Elton on the big screen.
“We are so proud he has landed himself this amazing film role,” Mr Edwards added.
