Harry Styles Reveals Why He Turned Down the Role of Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid
While Harry Styles won’t be starring as Prince Eric in the upcoming live-action film The Little Mermaid, the singer did reveal he considered taking the role.
Styles, 25, spoke to The Face magazine in which he said a possible role for him “was discussed,” but never came to fruition.
Despite thinking on starring in the film, Styles said his focus was elsewhere.
“I want to put music out and focus on that for a while,” the singer explained. “But everyone involved in it was amazing, so I think it’s going to be great.”
He added, “I’ll enjoy watching it, I’m sure.”
In July, it was reported the former One Direction singer was in talks to star in the upcoming film opposite Halle Bailey, who was cast as Ariel.
In August, PEOPLE confirmed Styles had turned down the role, with a source close to the film saying, “While he was a fan of the project, he has respectfully declined the offer.”
The role would have been Styles’ second major acting gig. His only role came in 2017’s Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan‘s epic WWII thriller. The performer had a bulk of the lines in the otherwise dialogue-light film, which also starred Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy and Fionn Whitehead.
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Styles also recently screen-tested for the role of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic, but the singer lost out on the role to Austin Butler.
While the singer may not have plans to star in another movie, he does have plans to release his second solo album soon.
“It’s not like his last album,” his friend and rock legend Stevie Nicks told The Face. “It’s not like anything One Direction ever did. It’s pure Harry, as Harry would say. He’s made a very different record and it’s spectacular.”
