Leaked photos of Harry Styles dressed as the Little Mermaid are the best thing on the internet today

Harry Styles told us that he was a mermaid back in 2014 during an interview with Hollywood Life. At the apex of the star’s One Direction days, the outlet questioned him about the latest of his many tattoos, a freshly inked mermaid. “Why a mermaid?” they asked. Because “I am a mermaid,” Styles responded simply. A new batch of viral photos seems to strengthen his claim, proving that while we may have been listening to Harry Styles, we clearly weren’t hearing him.

The photos are part of a shoot that Styles did with Saturday Night Live back in 2019 when he acted as guest host on the show. They feature Harry channeling the Disney version of The Little Mermaid in an Ariel-esque red wig, clamshell bra, and a voluminous sea-green fish tail. Unlike Ariel, he’s accessorized his under the sea lewk with a cigarette and glass of champagne. It’s nothing short of magnificent, and fans of Styles seem to agree.

Those with an encyclopedic memory of Harry’s CV will also recall that the pop-star-turned-actor once turned down the role of Prince Eric in a live-action version of The Little Mermaid. The film is currently in production with stars Melissa McCarthy, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem, Halle Bailey, and Jonah Hauer-King in the role of Eric. Now fans are speculating about why Styles said no to the role...

All kidding aside, seeing Styles adopt fashion items traditionally designed for and marketed to women has been delightful for fans to witness over the past few years, culminating with his history-making cover for Vogue. In his shoot with the world’s biggest fashion magazine, Styles donned a lace gown and tuxedo jacket by Gucci (he also stars in the label’s latest campaign), a gauzy trench coat by Maison Margiela, and a hooped crinoline skirt in several separate looks intended to blur the gendered lines between what men and women “should” wear.

Harry’s Little Mermaid look might be slightly less polished — yet we love it just as much.

BEFORE YOU GO: Demi Lovato gives a Tiny Desk concert in her own backyard