He was rumoured to be playing Prince Eric in the live action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, before turning it down due to a ‘scheduling conflict’.
But it seems the reason Harry Styles turned down the role was because he was actually after the main part of Ariel, judging by new snaps leaked online on Friday.
The Golden singer, 27, sent fans wild after images of him wearing a shell bra, red wig fish tail emerged online from a 2019 Saturday Night Live photoshoot.
In one image, Harry lounged on a pink velvet chair as one excited fan quipped: ‘Draw me like one of your French girls’, while sharing the image online.
The images – including another of Harry quaffing champagne and posing with a cigarette in his mouth – sparked a wave of excitement on social media.
One fan wrote: ‘Did you see Harry’s Little Mermaid photoshoot??? HE is so awesome I love him. That is why he down the role of Prince Eric.
‘He wanted to be Ariel all along. SO TRUE.’
Another joked: ‘Can Harry be cast as Ariel in the live action remake of the Little Mermaid.’
A third added: ‘@Harry_Styles how were you able to keep the Little Mermaid shoot a secret since 2019!? You son a b, you’re good.
A different person wrote: ‘Harry is so talented that by the end of the week he’s going to be the whole cast of The Little Mermaid.
‘First Sebastian, now Ariel, what a talented man.’
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![Reaction: The images - including another of Harry quaffing champagne and posing with a cigarette in his mouth - sparked a wave of excitement on social media](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/16/16/41842440-9479329-image-a-251_1618587709494.jpg)
Reaction: The images – including another of Harry quaffing champagne and posing with a cigarette in his mouth – sparked a wave of excitement on social media
One swooning social media user, added: ‘Okay but Harry as the Little Mermaid [heart emoji].’
Others picked up on the link to Harry’s role and joked: ‘Ahh so this is why Harry turned down the role of Prince Eric in the Little Mermaid. All makes sense now.’
And: ‘Who knew Harry being rumoured to be in the Little Mermaid movie meant he was just gonna be Ariel lmaooo.’
One Harry fan, who appeared to love the shoot, wrote: ‘I don’t know who is Harry Styles, I only know Harry the Little Mermaid Styles.’
Another said: ‘If Harry Styles played both Prince Eric and Ariel on the Little Mermaid movie I would definitely watch it.’
A different person wrote: ‘Not Harry being the Little Mermaid. Yes love it.’
Another agreed and wrote: ‘SNL photoshoot from 2019. Love it.’
While one other simply said: ‘Harry Styles as Ariel, that’s it. That’s the tweet.’
One joked: ‘I wanna be Harry Styles as Ariel for Halloween.’
Another gushing Harry fanatic said: ‘All I can think about today is the Little Mermaid Harry Styles.’
According to Page Six, the images come from a leaked shoot which was supposed to be used as promotion for his Saturday Night Live appearance.
![Breaking the internet - again! The Golden singer, 27, sent fans wild after images of him wearing a shell bra, red wig fish tail emerged online from a 2019 Saturday Night Live photoshoot](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/16/17/41843294-9479329-image-a-281_1618589688595.jpg)
Breaking the internet – again! The Golden singer, 27, sent fans wild after images of him wearing a shell bra, red wig fish tail emerged online from a 2019 Saturday Night Live photoshoot
An image that was used as the time saw Harry don a pink ballerina outfit, as he continued to champion pushing gender boundaries when it comes to clothing.
Harry previously revealed his liking for mermaids back in 2014 when he got a tattoo of one of the mythological creatures on his forearm.
When quizzed on his new inking at the time, he said: ‘I am a mermaid’.
Disney are currently working on the remake which Harry turned down, with singer Halle Bailey (one-half of Chloe x Halle) in the lead role.
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![Another gushing Harry fanatic said: 'All I can think about today is the Little Mermaid Harry Styles'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/16/16/41843338-9479329-image-a-267_1618589176329.jpg)
Another gushing Harry fanatic said: ‘All I can think about today is the Little Mermaid Harry Styles’
![Tattoo tribute: Harry previously revealed his liking for mermaids back in 2014 when he got a tattoo of one of the mythological creatures on his forearm (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/16/17/41843746-9479329-Tattoo_tribute_Harry_previously_revealed_his_liking_for_mermaids-m-280_1618589675009.jpg)
Tattoo tribute: Harry previously revealed his liking for mermaids back in 2014 when he got a tattoo of one of the mythological creatures on his forearm (pictured)
In 2019, Harry told Capital Breakfast that he was forced to turn the role down because it unfortunately didn’t fit into his hectic schedule.
He told host Roman Kemp at the time: ‘I had a meeting with Rob Marshall, the director, who is the most wonderful man.
‘He’s great, and it was just honestly a few things and it just wasn’t. It’s going to be an amazing film. I want to put music out and focus on that for a while.’
‘But everyone involved in it was amazing. So I think it’s going to be great.’
While Harry turned down the opportunity to play Eric, his latest film role was in Olivia Wilde’s Don’t You Worry, Darling, which wrapped filming earlier this year.
During his time on set, Harry struck up a romance with Olivia just weeks she ended her seven-year engagement with Jason Sudeikis.
Harry and Olivia were seen ‘enjoying a romantic night out’ in London on Wednesday evening, as their rapidly developing relationship goes from strength to strength.
![Coupled up: During his time on set, Harry struck up a romance with Olivia Wilde (pictured) just weeks she ended her seven-year engagement with Jason Sudeikis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/16/17/41843276-9479329-image-a-282_1618590008938.jpg)
Coupled up: During his time on set, Harry struck up a romance with Olivia Wilde (pictured) just weeks she ended her seven-year engagement with Jason Sudeikis