Harry Styles: 7 Best Onscreen Moments From The X Factor To Eternals

Long before Harry Styles was part of the Eternals, he was a contestant on the UK’s version of The X Factor in 2010 when the behemoth boyband One Direction was formed. Since then, he has secured a number of acting roles, making his big-screen debut in Christopher Nolan’s 2017 war epic Dunkirk. Upcoming projects starring Styles include an adaptation of the Bethan Roberts novel My Policeman and the Florence Pugh-led horror Don’t Worry Darling.

Over the last decade, Styles has garnered a handful of iconic onscreen moments, ranging from hilarious sitcom sketches, heart-warming personal moments and heart-breaking depictions of historical events.

7 The X-Factor (2010)

Harry Styles entered the British singing contest as a solo artist but was later grouped with four other boys (Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson) to form One Direction – the most famous group to have lost The X-Factor. Upon reflection, Styles’ audition is a brilliant moment to return to considering all that has happened in his life since then.

In the footage, Styles wows with an acapella rendition of “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder and, despite receiving a “no” from Louis Walsh, is voted through to the next round. It is a raw, organic moment, depicting the wide-eyed innocence of a young boy yet untouched by fame. It is particularly heart-warming to see the love and support radiating from his family backstage throughout the performance.

6 iCarly (2012)

Nickelodeon’s teen sitcom iCarly had its fair share of big-name musical guests during its lifespan, including The Plain White T’s and, of course, One Direction. The latter’s storyline sees Styles fall sick, threatening his scheduled appearance on the hit web show, and he gets a little too used to being cared for by Carly (Miranda Cosgrove).

The most hilarious moment arises when Styles’ band members team up with the iCarly gang to convince him that he is being replaced by Gibby (Noah Munck). Styles looks on in horror as Gibby butchers the hit “What Makes You Beautiful”  before miraculously recovering to reclaim his place in the group. Cosgrove has revealed Styles was her favorite guest star and with a confirmed release date for the show’s reboot, perhaps there is potential for a possible reunion.

5 Best Song Ever Music Video (2013)

During their time together, One Direction released a total of nineteen music videos. One of the most memorable is the video for “Best Song Ever,” which ranks among One Direction’s most-watched music videos on YouTube. The video is memorable not only for the boyband’s dance moves and chaotic antics but the fact that the members play dress-up too.

Styles stars as “The Marketing Guy” Marcel, but his best moment arguably comes when he shares the screen with band-member Zayn Malik. Malik is dressed as “The Assistant” Veronica, in full make-up and wig, and the pair share some flirty moments early on in the video that set the One Direction fandom ablaze upon the video’s release. The video is fun and light-hearted, capturing the band’s persona perfectly, and also marks one of the first time fans got to see Styles’ acting chops.

4 This Is Us (2013)

The One Direction documentary This Is Us offers a glimpse into the wild lives of five ordinary boys thrust into worldwide fame. The film touches on the stresses and limitations of being in a touring boyband, but for the most part, is a light-hearted ride that brings fans closer to their heartthrobs.

The familiar happy-go-lucky Harry from The X-Factor days is still very much present throughout. His best moments are when he is goofing around with photographers or joking about his “steamy” first kiss back in his home county, Cheshire. It is also moving to see him return to the bakery where he used to work.

3 Dunkirk (2017)

Christopher Nolan allegedly cast Harry Styles without being aware of his prestige as a musician. It was his “old-fashioned” facial features that won Styles the role of Alex, one of the many soldiers stranded at Dunkirk, in his big-screen acting debut.

In a movie packed full of hard-to-watch moments, Styles’ most hard-hitting scene is shared with Barry Keoghan – his fellow Eternal. Alex reveals George Mills to be dead after being warned to be careful with the injured boat hand. He delivers the heart-sinking line “he’s dead, mate,” before carefully moving the body aside. Despite the soldier’s respect, the moment reflects the desensitized wartime environment he resides in.

2 The Brit Awards (2020)

Styles is no stranger to award shows. From his One Direction days to his current career as a soloist, he has been a regular attendee of the annual Brit Awards ceremonies. The Brits are a celebration of British and international music talent, with a star-studded audience and world-class entertainment.

Back in 2020, a televised exchange between Styles, Lizzo, and comedian Jack Whitehall went viral, and for good reason. Whitehall – the evening’s host – takes a sip of Styles’ ‘apple juice,’ only to find out that it is actually neat tequila. Horrified, he hands the drink to Lizzo, who downs it in one as Styles cheers her on. The chaotic moment is made all the more iconic by Styles’ garish yellow suit.

1 Eternals (2021)

Released in November 2021, Eternals is the most recent title to feature the singer-turned-actor. For cinema-goers, Harry Styles’ MCU post-credit scene debut as Eros (aka Starfox), brother of Thanos, was an exciting surprise.

Fan-favorites, Druig, Makkari, and Thena, head off in search of other Eternals when they cross paths with Eros. Despite the limited screen-time, Styles’ performance is a tantalizing teaser for what is to come. The choice to cast him as the fun-loving future Avenger is apt since the role appears to be a natural fit. It will be interesting to see where his character is taken next.

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