Hardin Scott — er, we mean Harry Styles — is keeping things tight-lipped when it comes to talking about the After movies.

The film franchise — based on a series of books by Anna Todd — premiered in April 2019 with Hero Fiennes Tiffin starring as Hardin, a fictionalized version of the One Direction singer. Initially, the stories were published on Wattpad as a fan fiction about the “Watermelon Sugar” crooner, but they have since been turned into a widely loved book series in which Harry’s name was changed. Josephine Langford also stars in the film as Hardin’s love interest, Tessa Young.

“I completely understand and appreciate the fact that the inspiration was drawn from him in the book, but it’s developed so much from then,” Hero told W Magazine when talking about the Harry comparison in April 2019. “So while I don’t know much, if anything, about Harry Styles or One Direction, I know for a fact they’re not similar to the book or the film at all. I think the only similarity is that we’re both tall, skinny white guys with dark hair. Obviously, some of the inspiration came from Anna [Todd], but it was already such a wholesome character who was so unrelated to that when I first picked up the script, so I didn’t feel the need to take any more inspiration from anything like Harry Styles or One Direction.”

Keep reading for more about Harry’s reaction to the After films.

Yikes! Harry Styles Addresses the 'After' Films With an Awkward Response
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What Has Harry Styles Said About the After Movies?

While he’s stayed quiet about the books and film franchise, Harry did respond to a question about After while appearing on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show in May 2022. The host asked Harry if the series was actually about him, and the “As It Was” musician had a, sort of, awkward response.

“I don’t know how much … I don’t know,” he replied, according to clips that have been shared via TikTok. “I don’t really know. I don’t know if I can confirm. I’m not entirely educated on the origin of the script or anything. … I’ve heard of it, yeah. But I don’t know in terms of … I’m not really sure.”

Have Harry Styles and Hero Fiennes Tiffin Ever Met?

Hero addressed this question during an interview with StyleCaster in September 2021. At the time, the actor said they met; however, the movie did not come up in conversation.

“I shook his hand, and there was a kind of thing,” Hero recalled. “We didn’t have the opportunity to talk because it was at the entrance, and it was quite full, but I feel like there was a little thing in the eyes of, like, we both knew. There was a knowing look. I haven’t spoken to him in detail about it. I hope that happens sometime.”

Hero told J-14 exclusively in June 2022 that there have been no other run-ins with Harry throughout their time in Hollywood.

“He’s just insane. He’s so like, I don’t know — you’re kind of drawn to him, and he’s just such a great performer,” Hero gushed. “I’m so grateful for Anna’s inspiration initially coming from him to lay down the line, bring me this opportunity. But I haven’t met him since. Only exchange we’ve had is a handshake and a knowing look. I think it was knowing, probably was. I don’t know, you’d have to ask him.”

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