• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Harry Styles shares the one key reason he turned down movie role opposite Emilia Clarke

Home> Celebrity> News

Published 15:53 18 Jan 2025 GMT

Harry Styles shares the one key reason he turned down movie role opposite Emilia Clarke

The One Direction star refused a movie for one unusual reason

Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge

Harry Styles has revealed there was just one reason he turned down a movie role which starred Emilie Clarke.

The One Directioner isn't camera shy, having landed several movie roles such as Dunkirk, Marvel's Eternals, and Don't Worry Darling.

However, the 30-year-old said he felt compelled to reject one particular call for a major role in Paul Feig's Christmas romantic comedy, Last Christmas, which had a dazzling cast from the likes of Game of Thrones' star, Emilia Clarke.

Styles was replaced by Henry Golding in the movie instead (Universal Pictures)
Styles was replaced by Henry Golding in the movie instead (Universal Pictures)

Advert

The script, written by Bryony Kimmings and Emma Thompson, and named after the 1984 Wham! song of the same name, follows a disillusioned Christmas store worker, played by Clarke, who falls in love with a man, as per a good traditional festive romcom.

But Styles turned down the role of the mysterious man, which was instead played by Henry Golding.

The movie grossed $123 million after its release in 2019 but suffered some rather hit-or-miss reviews, scoring an average 46 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

But it wasn't the script that turned Styles off from taking on the role. Instead, he confirmed he simply felt too 'young' for the part, reports The Mirror.

Advert

Styles had one reason why he turned the part down (Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Styles had one reason why he turned the part down (Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Director Feig also said he hoped he would work with the 'Watermelon Sugar' hitmaker on the movie.

He said: "I love Harry. We wanted him to play the part that Henry Golding played but he turned it down because he felt he was too young for the role. I've tried to get him in a few movies."

Styles, whose last film role was My Policeman in 2022, allegedly went on to replace another high-profile actor in a different movie just three years after rejecting Feig.

Advert

The thriller-mystery, Don't Worry Darling, directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Florence Pugh, reportedly had Shia LeBeouf in the lead role until he was sacked, with rumors of an alleged feud between the Transformers star and Wilde.

LaBeouf denied ever being fired from the position but nonetheless, Styles took on the lead role as Jack.

Harry Styles and Florence Pugh in Don't Worry Darling (Warner Bros)
Harry Styles and Florence Pugh in Don't Worry Darling (Warner Bros)

The movie didn't do so well as Last Christmas, grossing $87.6 million and scoring an average 38 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Advert

Styles, who happened to be dating Wilde at the time, also admitted during a press conference that he had 'no idea' what he was doing.

He added: "What I like about acting is I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. Making music is a really personal thing. There are aspects of acting where you’re drawing from experiences a bit, but for the most part you’re pretending to play someone else. That’s what I find the most interesting about it.

"They can aid each other in a way. Any time you get to view the world through a different lens, it can help to create whichever way it goes. I find it really different. I think the fun part is that you never know what you’re doing in either one of them."

Featured Image Credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage via Getty/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

Topics: Harry Styles, Emilia Clarke, Music, Film and TV, Florence Pugh, Emma Thompson, Christmas, Rotten Tomatoes, Shia LaBeouf, Money

Liv Bridge
Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge is a digital journalist who joined the UNILAD team in 2024 after almost three years reporting local news for a Newsquest UK paper, The Oldham Times. She's passionate about health, housing, food and music, especially Oasis...

X

@livbridge

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • How Harry Styles inspired new R-rated romcom starring Anne Hathaway
  • Harry Styles fans seriously divided over rumors he might headline Super Bowl 2024
  • Chris Pine finally explains Harry Styles 'spitting incident' at Don't Worry Darling premiere
  • Harry Styles kisses Nick Kroll on lips as Don't Worry Darling gets a standing ovation

Choose your content:

13 hours ago
18 hours ago
20 hours ago
a day ago
  • Getty Images/Dia Dipasupil
    13 hours ago

    Jennifer Lawrence explains why she prefers filming NSFW sex scenes with strangers

    Lawrence opened up about her latest project with Robert Pattinson, Die My Love

    Celebrity
  • Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
    18 hours ago

    West Wing actor Timothy Busfield faces child sex abuse charges as police issue arrest warrant

    The actor is facing two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, according to an affidavit

    Celebrity
  • Getty Images/Michael Loccisano
    20 hours ago

    Conan O'Brien has defiant message for comedians who criticize Trump

    A lot of comedians have used the president in their content of late

    Celebrity
  • How To Fail with Elizabeth Day via YouTube
    a day ago

    Comedian Margaret Cho details horrifying 'poop' story that ruined her 'all-white' outfit

    The actor Margaret Cho has shared how she 'disgusted' herself when she ruined her white outfit in front of an audience

    Celebrity