Harry Styles was about to be part of the live-action of The Little Mermaid, one of the most anticipated Disney movies today.
Rob Marshall’s film has high expectations and fans are anxious about the final result, especially to see how charming Halle Bailey looks as Ariel on screen.
The Little Mermaid, like everything in cinema, also went through significant changes and adjustments, one of which is that Jonah Hauer-King was about to not be Prince Eric, but Harry Styles.
Why Harry Styles Rejected ‘The Little Mermaid’ Live-Action
When the live-action project of The Little Mermaid was announced, there were rumors that the Grammy winner would be in charge of bringing Prince Eric to life. However, the conversation did not go any further, although for fans it was a big bet.
Rob Marshall, the film’s director, recently revealed that indeed the singer was considered to join the Disney world, but it was he who rejected the role.
According to the filmmaker, Harry wanted to make “darker” films and not musicals because the latter were not a good opportunity to showcase his talent as an actor, but to stay in his comfort zone as a singer.
“We did meet with him. He was charming, what a wonderful guy. But at the end of the day, he really felt like he wanted to pursue the movies that he ended up doing, which were a little darker,” Marshall revealed.
“For many young people like Harry, you’re trying to find your way and you don’t necessarily want to be seen as a singer. That’s why he really was looking to do something that was not in the musical genre, to really stretch himself. It was a fun idea to toy with, but at the end of the day, I always think things happen for a reason. I’m really happy to have two young, new people in the movie,” Rob Marshall expressed.
Harry Styles participated in the films Don’t Worry Darling and My Policeman, among others, precisely with the type of role he is looking for, a little more “dark”, although fans always assured that the singer would be the perfect Eric due to his physical characteristics and charm.
On the other hand, we are getting closer to ‘The Little Mermaid’, its release is scheduled for May 26, 2023, and we will finally be able to see Halle Bailey and Hauer-King as the protagonists.
Story originally written in Spanish by Kate Nateras in Cultura Colectiva.
