04-27-2023, 10:45 AM
Quote:Harry Styles was under consideration to play Prince Eric in the forthcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, director Rob Marshall has said.
The Disney revival stars Halle Bailey in the titular role while relative newcomer Jonah Hauer-King will play her prince.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Marshall said that Styles turned the role down to focus on “darker” material.
“We met with him. He was lovely. What a wonderful guy,” the director said of Styles. “But at the end of the day, he really felt like he wanted to go off and do the movies that he ended up doing, which were sort of darker.
“For a lot of young musical people like Harry, you’re trying to carve your way and you don’t wanna be seen as a singer, necessarily,” Marshall added.
“That’s why he was really looking to do something not in the musical genre, to really stretch himself. It was really a fun idea to play with, but in the end, I always think things happen for a reason. I’m so happy to have two young, new people in the film.”
Styles has most recently played supporting roles in Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling and the queer drama My Policeman.
-- Independent