Still besties? One Direction fans were obsessed with Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson‘s friendship when the band was together, but where do they stand now?
The “Walls” singer shared rare insight into his time as a solo artist since One Direction’s 2015, and name-dropped Harry in the process. During an interview with U.K.’s The Times in November 2022, Louis revealed what it’s been like to perform in front of his former bandmates.
“When I was in One Direction, that pre-show ritual made me feel like a rock star. It just gives you such a great f–king feeling on stage,” Louis shared. “I’d love to say I don’t get more nervous if I know Harry [Styles] or any of the other boys are in the crowd, but I do. You want to give your best.”
Keep reading to see where Harry and Louis’ friendship stands now.
Are Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson Still Friends?
The last time the guys were photographed together was in 2015. However, in December 2016, they reunited after Louis’ mom died following a battle with leukemia. At the time, Harry showed support alongside Niall Horan and Liam Payne.
Years later, Louis, Niall and Harry all performed as solo artists at the 2018 the iHeart Festival in Las Vegas. While there were no reports of them being together at the show, fans speculated that the two hung out backstage.
Perhaps, the craziest fan theory between the two singers is that they secretly met up in May 2019 while both on vacation in Italy. At the time, one fan claimed to have spotted them together. However, it was never confirmed. Around the same time, Louis told Hits Radio Breakfast that although he had “not seen Harry for a while,” he has “been in contact with him.”
The “Back to You” crooner referred to their friendship as “proper nice.” During a November 2022 interview with U.K.’s The Telegraph, Louis also referred to Harry as his “brother” while discussing the “Daylight” singer’s success.
“He’s not just doing music, he’s got film as well, and the tour he’s done is unbelievable,” Louis shared. “It took me a while to work out where I stand. But I look on Harry like a brother, man. I have a lot of pride for what he’s doing.”
What Happened Between Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson?
Louis claimed that the “conspiracy” theories about their friendship caused them to grow apart.
“It kind of happened naturally for me and Harry because a certain amount of the fans drew up this conspiracy,” he explained to The Sun in 2017. “When it first came around, I was with Eleanor, and it actually felt a little bit disrespectful to Eleanor, who is my girlfriend now. I’m so protective over things like that, about the people I love. It created this atmosphere between the two of us where everyone was looking into everything we did. It took away the vibe you get off anyone. It made everything, I think on both fences, a little bit more unapproachable.”
Years later during the Telegraph interview, Louis referred to fanfiction as “weird,” noting that “there’s not much you can do about it.” He added, “I’d rather they didn’t, like, but it is what it is. I won’t be watching it.”
He also spoke candidly about why Harry’s solo success “bothered” him initially.
“Only [because] I didn’t know where to place myself, and really my only point of reference was other members of the band,” the Faith in the Future musician explained to The Telegraph. “But it’s not surprising to me that Harry’s the most commercially successful because he really fits the mold of a modern star.”
Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.