After it was falsely reported that Harry Styles was confirmed as Prince Eric in the live-action Disney film The Little Mermaid, new reports have revealed that the singer has actually turned down the role. According to The Wrap, the 25-year-old "respectfully declined" the part despite being a "fan" of the upcoming project.
Harry has turned down the role of Prince Eric
Fans were devastated by the news, particularly after hearing he was reportedly cast as the prince and celebrating the news on Tuesday night. One person wrote: "Right so going from 'Harry Styles confirmed to be Prince Eric' to 'anything is yet to be confirmed' all the way to 'Harry Styles has denied the role of Prince Eric' all in a matter of hours has been the worst form of heartbreak I have ever experienced." Another person tweeted that her friend was "currently crying because Harry Styles turned down the role of Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid". However, others thought it was a wise choice, with one writing: "Smart move. I’d like to see his acting career get a little more traction before I can declare him the right choice."
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Halle will play Ariel
According to Variety, the first reports that Harry had accepted the role were "premature", and the studio has already started to look at other options. Unsurprisingly, plenty of Disney lovers were quick to suggest their ideal casting for the role. One person wrote: "Me [on my way] to convince Timothée Chalamet to play Prince Eric since Harry Styles turned it down." Another person added: "Now that Harry Styles is out of the picture... let's discuss Jordan Fisher for Prince Eric PLEASE." Aside from the love interest role, casting is almost complete on the upcoming live-action film, with Halle Bailey cast as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder.
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