'The Little Mermaid' director tells why Harry Styles declined prince Eric role

The Little Mermaid director revealed why Harry Styles turned down the role of Prince Eric in the upcoming Disney film.

In Entertainment Weekly's new digital cover story about the most awaited live-action reimagination 1989's animated musical, the director Rob Marshall confirmed that he first offered Styles to play Eric.

However, Styles "really felt like he wanted to go off and do the movies that he ended up doing, which were sort of darker," said Marshall, referring to the singer's R-rated 2022 films Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman. 

The Grammy winner singer, 29, also made a cameo in the 2021 Marvel movie Eternals.

Marshall also admitted that Jonah Hauer-King, who plays Prince Eric opposite Halle Bailey's Ariel in The Little Mermaid had a "sweetness" and "deep passion" that was fit for the role.

However, Styles had also spoke about turning down the Little Mermaid role, while talking to The Face magazine back in 2019 that a possible role for him "was discussed" but never came to fruition.

"I want to put music out and focus on that for a while," he said at the time. "But everyone involved in it was amazing, so I think it's going to be great. I'll enjoy watching it, I'm sure."

The new Little Mermaid features three new original songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, including one for Prince Eric called Wild Uncharted Waters.