Harry Styles could play Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid remake
Harry Styles at the 2019 Met Gala in New York. (Theo Wargo/WireImage)
The ex-One Direction singer Harry Styles is reportedly being courted by Disney to star as Prince Eric in the forthcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
The 25-year-old, who made his acting debut in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk in 2017, would be joining a cast that so far reportedly includes Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and singer Halle Bailey as Ariel.
Bailey, 19, an R&B singer of group of Chloe X Halle, was recently revealed to have been cast as Ariel.
When Disney announced that Bailey — a black singer and actor – would play Ariel, the news was taken by some as a hint that producers might cast other key roles diversely, including main villain and LGBT+ icon Ursula.
The original 1989 animation drew Ursula as a vampy sea witch with purple skin, bold blue eye makeup and a shock of white hair – a design heavily inspired by subversive drag queen Divine, real name Glenn Milstead.
Harry Styles might be joining Awkwafina in cast
Mermaid, which will be directed by Rob Marshall, is also reportedly in talks to include Awkwafina and Jacob Tremblay in the cast.
News of Styles being in early talks to play Prince Eric was first reported by Variety magazine yesterday (July 16).
He is apparently an early favourite of Disney to play the role and is currently in discussions with the studio.
The 1989 animated classic included songs like “Under the sea” and “Kiss the girl.”
Fans reacted with joy to news that Styles may play Prince Eric.
hi twitter. i’m here taking my stance on a political issue. harry styles is the ONLY one who should be playing #PrinceEric and i will 𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖑 anYONE WHO DISAGREES 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/VZnS5wSDUv
— kyra fuchs ✰ (@kyramckenzief) July 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/itshotaria/status/1151222158762246145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1151222158762246145%7Ctwgr%5E393039363b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Flittle-mermaid-harry-styles-prince-eric_n_5d2e4554e4b02fd71ddbe5b2
https://twitter.com/LizTomlinsonHor/status/1151241256531632130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1151241256531632130%7Ctwgr%5E393039363b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Flittle-mermaid-harry-styles-prince-eric_n_5d2e4554e4b02fd71ddbe5b2
In the film, Ariel falls in love with Prince Eric after saving him from drowning. She makes a deal with the sea witch, Ursula, to exchange her voice for her legs, so that she can go on land and try and get Prince Eric to return her crush. Prince Eric plays a key role in the final battle against Ursula.
Styles is, according to lesbians, a lesbian icon.
