Simon Cowell Reacts To Harry Styles’ Choice To 'Respectfully Decline' The Prince Eric Role Offer In The ‘Little Mermaid’ Live-Action Remake

Source: metro.co.uk

Despite the fact that he would undoubtedly make a perfect Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action remake of the Little Mermaid, it’s being reported that Harry Styles is not interested in taking on the role. Now, Simon Cowell, who is the one to launch the former One Direction member and his bandmates into the music industry, revealed what he thinks of this and even if any of the others would make a good Disney prince.

Soon after it was confirmed that Halle Bailey would be playing Ariel, fans of One Direction started pleading with the production team to give the male lead role to Harry Styles.

So when reports started going around that the star ‘respectfully declined’ the gig, everyone was pretty upset.

Naturally, Directioners would also want to know what Simon Cowell thinks of this career move since he is credited with creating the band.

While at America’s Got Talent quarterfinal tapings, Simon told HollywoodLife that ‘You know, I’ve got to be honest with you. I don’t think I have ever seen the movie. I said that if it was The Jungle Book and he turned down Baloo or Shere Khan or Bagheera I would have said big mistake! That film [The Little Mermaid], I don’t know enough about!’

So should the part go to one of the other former One Direction members?

‘You would have to ask them, they have always made their own decisions,’ Cowell told the news outlet.

While it’s definitely a pity Harry won’t be in The Little Mermaid, it makes sense he declined since Prince Eric, despite being the love interest for Ariel, does not have a big part in the storyline.

Still, one insider previously told HollywoodLife that he and Halle had a screen test together and ‘they clicked,’ so it would have been great to see them on the big screen together.

‘Harry loves the whole team that’s being assembled. He thinks Halle’s incredibly talented and thinks she’s a brilliant choice for Ariel,’ the source dished.