Harry Styles Screen-Tested With ‘Little Mermaid’ Star Halle Bailey & They Instantly ‘Clicked’
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‘It’s a go’ for Harry Styles to play Prince Eric in ‘The Little Mermaid’ if all falls into place. The former 1D singer ‘wants’ the role and the feeling is mutual on the production’s side, according to HollywoodLife’s source!
Will Harry Styles, 25, “Kiss The Girl”? Well, there’s a chance the former One Direction star may just go on that romantic boat ride with Ariel and Sebastian the crab, according to what a source close to Harry EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife! “Harry’s very interested (in playing Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid), it’s already got so much buzz and has such a great team behind it,” the insider reveals to us. “Harry hasn’t signed anything yet, but he’s been told they really want him and he wants to do it.” The prospect only gets more promising, as our insider added, “So as long as they can work out all the details, it’s a go.”
This is not just all talk. Harry has already met with the Disney movie’s future star, Halle Bailey, 19, our source tells us! “Harry loves the whole team that’s being assembled. He thinks Halle’s incredibly talented and thinks she’s a brilliant choice for Ariel. He screen-tested with her and they clicked, he wouldn’t have got this far if they hadn’t,” the insider reveals. Like Harry, Halle made her name through music as one half of the sister R&B duo, Chloe x Halle. Additionally, news has already surfaced that Harry is “in early negotiations to play the iconic role of Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The man behind the upcoming live action film’s soundtrack has also piqued Harry’s interest. You may know him as the mastermind of Hamilton! “Harry’s also a fan of Lin Manuel Miranda, he’s written new songs for the movie, so that’s another exciting element for Harry,” our source continues. With Lin and Halle on-board, our source points out that “the film as a whole is going to be of very high calibre,” and “so much work has already gone into it.” That means this project comes with high stakes! “The movie is such a classic, the pressure to get it right is very high but Harry likes that,” the source explains. “He’s all about challenging himself, that’s what’s most exciting for him.”
But Harry’s more than prepared, because “he can sing, he can act and he’s a heartthrob so he’s a natural for the romantic lead, he’s really a perfect fit for this part,” our insider continues. “It’s a musical so it’s a great chance for him to showcase all of his talent.” It also helps that Harry’s “a huge Disney fan” who “grew up watching all the movies, so being a part of a Disney movie would fulfill a childhood dream.” Hardcore Styles fans, you’ll know that the British heartthrob’s favorite Disney flick is The Lion King.
No names have been set in ink, and Harry is still being called for other “projects,” our source clarifies. So if the role of Prince Eric goes to someone else, “then Harry will star in something else big, it’s only a matter of time,” the insider says. “People are taking him seriously as an actor since Dunkirk and he’s been getting called in for a lot of projects, he’s a hot commodity in Hollywood.” You don’t have to tell us twice!