Did Nicholas Galitzine Draw Inspiration from One Direction and Harry Styles for 'The Idea of You?' A Close Look

Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway’s upcoming movie, The Idea of You, has a strong One Direction feel even before its release.

The film is adapted from Robinne Lee’s novel with the same title. It follows the story of Hayes Campbell (played by Galitzine), the frontman of the famous boy band August Moon. At Coachella, Hayes crosses paths with Solène Marchand (portrayed by Hathaway), a single mother, leading to a hidden love affair between them.

Lee revealed to Vogue in 2020 that she conducted research on One Direction while working on the book. She shared that three years after the book was published, she was still inspired by the band.

When asked if Harry Styles influenced her main character, Lee responded by saying, "Inspired is a strong word." She explained that she envisioned her leading man, Hayes, as a combination of her dream guy and a mix of Prince Harry and Harry Styles.

Directioners, the fandom name for One Direction faithfuls, noticed a striking resemblance between Hayes and 1D's Styles in promo images and trailer footage.

In March 2024, Galitzine shared with Buzzfeed UK that they aimed to develop a character similar to Harry, a younger man involved with an older woman. It was crucial for them to craft a unique and fresh character, rather than a mere imitation of someone familiar.

While the British actor pleads the fifth about the similarities between Hayes and Styles, We is breaking down how they compare:

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Credit: Courtesy of Prime ; Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Was Nicholas Galitzine Inspired by One Direction and Harry Styles for ‘Idea of You?' Us Investigates

Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway’s upcoming movie, The Idea of You, definitely channels One Direction vibes even before its release.

The film is adapted from Robinne Lee’s novel with the same title. The story revolves around Hayes Campbell (portrayed by Galitzine), the frontman of the famous boy band August Moon. At Coachella, he crosses paths with Solène Marchand (played by Hathaway), a single mother, and they begin a clandestine love affair.

In 2020, Lee shared with Vogue that she had researched One Direction while writing her book, three years after it was published.

When asked if Harry Styles played a role in inspiring her main character, Lee responded, "I wouldn't say inspired, but I created [Hayes] to be like my ideal guy, a mix of Prince Harry and Harry Styles."

Directioners, the fandom name for One Direction faithfuls, quickly noticed the striking resemblance between Hayes and 1D's Styles in promo images and trailer footage.

In an interview with Buzzfeed UK in March 2024, Galitzine shared that they aimed to develop a character similar to Harry, portraying a younger man involved with an older woman. The goal was to introduce a fresh and unique character, rather than a poor imitation of someone familiar.

While the British actor pleads the fifth about the similarities between Hayes and Styles, We is breaking down how they compare:

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Credit: Getty Images (2)

Just Like Harry

To generate buzz for the movie, Prime Video released a mock album cover for August Moon featuring Galitzine’s character, Hayes, at the center. Fans of the band 1D were quick to point out the similarities, noting that Styles usually stood in the middle of group photos. They also observed that Galitzine posed with his hand on his chin, reminiscent of Styles' pose in a promotional shoot from 2014.

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Credit: Alisha Wetherill/Prime

So Many Tats

Hayes sports various tattoos on his forearms in the promo pics for The Idea of You. He also has a collection of ink across his body.

During a December 2015 appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden, Styles mentioned that he has a few tattoos that he did himself and isn't very proud of. He admitted to having some "stupid ones," like writing "big" on his big toe, but overall, he doesn't regret them too much.

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Credit: Alisha Wetherill/Prime

5 in the Band:

August Moon is made up of five members: Hayes, Oliver (Raymond Cham Jr.), Simon (Viktor White), Rory (Dakota Adan) and Adrian (Jaiden Anthony). Similarly, 1D originally consisted of five members as well: Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. (Malik left the group in 2015.)

Hayes and Harry also both start with the same first letter.

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Credit: Paul A. Hebert/Getty Images

Meet the Songwriters

Prime Video recently released a fictional song by August Moon called "Dance Before We Walk" before the premiere of The Idea of You on March 16, 2024. The track was written by Carl Folk and Savan Kotecha, who have also written songs for 1D, including hits like "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Live While We're Young." Additionally, Folk and Kotecha collaborated with Styles on the song "Happily."

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Credit: Courtesy of Prime

An Age-Gap Romance

Solène and Hayes have a significant age difference, similar to Styles. Styles previously dated Olivia Wilde, who is 10 years older than him, from 2021 to 2022. Wilde, like Solène, is a single mother and has two children with her former fiancé Jason Sudeikis.

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Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for ABA

It All Starts at Coachella

Solène first met Hayes at Coachella when she brought her teenage daughter to watch August Moon perform. The strange coincidences didn't stop there, as Styles was the headliner of the show in 2022. Even though Lee's book was written before Styles' performance at Coachella, it's possible that this is one of the most powerful examples of manifestation we've witnessed.

Editor's P/S:

The article delves into the striking similarities between Nicholas Galitzine's character, Hayes, in the upcoming movie "The Idea of You," and Harry Styles of One Direction. From the character's physical appearance to the age difference in their relationships, the parallels are undeniable. While Nicholas Galitzine maintains that Hayes is not a direct imitation of Styles, the evidence presented suggests otherwise. The movie's adaptation from a novel inspired by One Direction, along with the deliberate crafting of Hayes to resemble Styles, reinforces the notion that the character is heavily influenced by the beloved pop star.

This connection to One Direction adds an intriguing layer to the film, potentially attracting both fans of the band and those interested in the exploration of age-gap relationships. The article's thorough analysis of the similarities between Hayes and Styles, along with the mention of the songwriters involved who have worked with 1D, provides a compelling argument for the influence of the popular boy band on the upcoming movie.