Harry Styles' music video for his song "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" has inspired fans to joke about the pop star's choice not to play Prince Eric in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. The singer, who rose to fame during his time in the boy band One Direction, has started to explore opportunities outside of the music industry. With his leading roles in Olivia Wilde's recent thriller Don't Worry Darling and Michael Grandage's melancholy romantic drama My Policeman, as well as his introduction to the MCU in Chloé Zhao's Eternals, Styles has balanced his singing career with a burgeoning acting one.The buzz around Styles' turn towards acting was only amplified when rumors circulated that he was in talks to play Price Eric in Rob Marshall's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid alongside fellow singer Halle Bailey as Ariel. While the pop star confirmed that he considered taking on the role, he revealed that he ultimately passed on the opportunity to focus on making new music, leading Jonah Hauer-King to get the part. Styles delivered on his promise to prioritize his music, releasing the critically acclaimed album Harry's House earlier this year, featuring a music video that some fans can't help but compare to his near portrayal of Prince Eric.Related: Why Halle Bailey's Ariel Will Avoid Disney's Live-Action Princess MistakesThe nautical themes in the music video for Harry Styles' song "Music For a Sushi Restaurant" has led fans to humorously recall his rejection of the Prince Eric role in The Little Mermaid live-action remake. The music video sees Styles as a merman, scales and all, getting ready to be prepared in a meal at, presumably, a sushi restaurant. Social media users were quick to point out the comparison to the upcoming Disney movie, claiming that perhaps there was another role in the film that Styles was vying for. Check out what they had to say below:

Is Harry Styles' Prince Eric A Missed Opportunity For Disney's Little Mermaid

Harry Styles as Tom in My Poilceman

While Styles was quick to shut down the rumors of him making an appearance in The Little Mermaid, fans can't help but wonder what his portrayal of the charming Disney prince would have looked like. Considering the controversies that have followed one of his biggest roles to date as Jack Chambers in Don't Worry Darling, a film for which the drama delivered on-screen has been no match for the chaos among the cast and crew leading up to its release, fans are curious if the production of The Little Mermaid would have been just as tumultuous had Styles joined the cast. Beyond the spectacle of having one of the world's most famous performers included as the romantic lead, the reviews of Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman slamming Styles' acting abilities indicate that perhaps the singer would have done more harm than good to the legacy of The Little Mermaid.

The upcoming live-action remake has been riddled with undue turbulence since it began developing, including racist backlash against the decision to cast Halle Bailey, a person of color, as Ariel. In order for an already skeptical audience to truly appreciate the merit of the cast members' performances, as well as the hard work that the crew has put into retaining the integrity of the beloved animated film, perhaps it is for the best that Styles sat out on The Little Mermaid to wait for a project that allows him to showcase his talents over the spectacle of his public persona and personal life.

Next: 1 Little Mermaid Criticism Was Always Wrong (& The Remake Can Prove It

Source: Twitter