Harry Styles fans were well and truly blessed on Friday, when a photo-shoot of the chart-topping singer dressed as Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid began doing the rounds online.
In the photos – which supposedly date back to the former One Direction singer’s guest hosting stint on Saturday Night Live in 2019 – Harry is seen sporting a bright red wig, seashell bra and fishtail, while posing up a storm.
To make the classic Disney princess his own, Harry is also seen smoking a fag and knocking back champagne in the snaps, which quickly led to his name trending on Twitter…
Happy Friday! Here's Harry Styles as Ariel to start your day. 🧜🏻♀️ pic.twitter.com/2PGQQ9v8wz
— Sara (@smaewest) April 16, 2021
Unseen photo of Harry of 2019. He’s so golden. I LOVE ARIEL HARRY 😫 #HarryStylespic.twitter.com/Bh1pXlcrfE
— Aurora✨ (@itsdirectionau) April 16, 2021
do you she grow
remember up
ariel?#harrystylespic.twitter.com/Kcb80vlsfh— giuls³⁸⁶ ; it's race week¹⁶ (@chxgiu) April 16, 2021
Ariel before Ariel after
she sold Ursula
her voice for
feet pic.twitter.com/TNVoNJmRHO— Nora (taylor’s version) (@passionatelouie) April 16, 2021
#HarryStyles
Ya that's the difference between us!Others My
Ariel: Ariel: pic.twitter.com/C1Y14RhSIB— Aditi Krishnan (@AditiKrishnan_) April 16, 2021
before and after ariel gets legs pic.twitter.com/L5Sc6bV7cB
— allie (@allie_else) April 16, 2021
i just wanna know what the creative thought process was with 🚬 and 🥂 like was ariel going thru a mid life crisis or pic.twitter.com/FXtuTHjE2w
— h4rr¥’$ b%t$ (@L0UISLUV) April 16, 2021
i can’t explain why but ariel harry makes ballerina harry seem so much more casual pic.twitter.com/WX2dx24h1F
— brooke (@ggoldenbillie) April 16, 2021
i just think that harry styles as ariel pic.twitter.com/MLsyBAKtmA
— paula♡'s lu (@HAPPlLY) April 16, 2021
ARIEL, OUT AT THE CINEMA FROM FEBRUARY 30 2022
we are waiting for you numerous #HarryStylespic.twitter.com/OEoeAHevII
— Gre // 🥃 (@gbll27) April 16, 2021
My favorite little mermaid 🥰🧜🧜🏻♀️ little mermaid Harry >>> Ariel 🧡 pic.twitter.com/bnav9wIdql
— LouiseSrt (@louise_kiwi281D) April 16, 2021
Of course, there was already a strong link between Harry and The Little Mermaid.
In 2019 (so right around the time these photos were taken), Harry was heavily rumoured to be taking on the role of Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
Ultimately, it was reported that Harry had turned down the part so he could focus on his then-upcoming album Fine Line and its accompanying tour.
And suffice to say, Harry’s history with the character of Ariel did not go unnoticed by his fans…
Find yourself a man who can do both #HarryStyles#Arielpic.twitter.com/G00kx6RTnA
— Veronica Nastasi (@nastasivero) April 16, 2021
No but remember in 2019 there were rumours about harry playing Prince Eric and we used to joke about him playing Ariel instead but now he really is Ariel- pic.twitter.com/X7PuoI27tE
— gesundheit²⁸ ia-ish (@ltpolaroids) April 16, 2021
ariel and prince eric are the best disney couple pic.twitter.com/pqjsmdihDA
— carly☀️| dj era (@codyko123) April 16, 2021
so that’s why harry turned down the role of prince eric, he wanted to be ariel all along pic.twitter.com/mAUbAXAQ2L
— elodie²⁸ ♡’s chrissy 📌 GIVEAWAY ERA (@swtcreature28) April 16, 2021
Sources say that Harry Styles will be playing the role of Ariel in the upcoming Disney movie “The little Mermaid” pic.twitter.com/s8bCQ5Kivg
— Alex ༄ ⋆.•. (@fairytailhrry) April 16, 2021
harry said fuck prince eric i want to be ✨ariel✨ pic.twitter.com/JpjjRs7LnW
— . (@STYLESARCHlVE) April 16, 2021
It is confirmed by a reliable source that the reason harry styles turned down playing Prince Eric in the Little Mermaid live action, is not because he wanted to tour, but because he thought he was auditioning for the role of Ariel. He was devastated when offered the role of Eric. pic.twitter.com/u3DJ38CUwH
— Z ⚡️ (@harryscerise) April 16, 2021
The part of Prince Eric eventually went to Jonah Hauer-King, who will be sharing the screen with Grammy-nominated singer Halle Bailey when the film hits cinemas in 2022.
As it turned out, Harry’s Fine Line tour wasn’t quite able to go ahead, but he does have two films now in the pipeline.
The first sees him directed by rumoured girlfriend Olivia Wilde in the psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling.
He’ll also act alongside The Crown’s Emma Corrin in the drama My Policeman.
