Texas State University has announced plans to introduce a course on popstar Harry Styles next year
(Picture: Getty Images)Harry Styles has a smorgasbord of feathers in his bow (or feather boa, as he is partial to wearing): singing, acting, presenting, fashion designing, playing piano and, according to his recent Rolling Stone interview, a penchant for architecture. In the mammoth interview published yesterday, 28-year-old Styles went into detail about his house-hopping lockdown experience, weekly therapy sessions and the constant speculation about his sexuality and relationships that has dogged him in the 12 years since he exploded into the public eye.
In the interview Rolling Stone reporter Brittany Spanos follows the pop icon around on his “Love on Tour” tour, observing as he played to packed out stadiums from Coachella to Wembley. Apart from coming across as generally affable and highly relatable, endearing him even further in hearts of his legion of fans, the interview also features commentary from Harry’s girlfriend, actress and director Olivia Wilde. So without further ado, here are the best quotes from the piece.
On his post-show shower ritual: “It’s really unnatural to stand in front of that many people and have that experience…Washing it off, you’re just a naked person, in your most vulnerable, human form. Just like a naked baby, basically.”
On having tonsillitis during One Direction’s 2014 Wembley show:“I was miserable...We played the first one, and I remember I came off, got in the car, and just started crying because I was so disappointed.”
On starting therapy: “I committed to doing it once a week,” he explains. “I felt like I exercise every day and take care of my body, so why wouldn’t I do that with my mind? So many of your emotions are so foreign before you start analysing them properly. I like to really lean into [an emotion] and look at it in the face. Not like, ‘I don’t want to feel like this,’ but more like, ‘What is it that makes me feel this way?’”
On compartmentalising private and public life: “I’ve never talked about my life away from work publicly and found that it’s benefited me positively…There’s always going to be a version of a narrative, and I think I just decided I wasn’t going to spend the time trying to correct it or redirect it in some way.”
On his sex life: “Sometimes people say, ‘You’ve only publicly been with women,’ and I don’t think I’ve publicly been with anyone. If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re choosing to have a public relationship or something.”
On relationships in the public eye: “It’s obviously a difficult feeling to feel like being close to me means you’re at the ransom of a corner of Twitter or something… I just wanted to sing. I didn’t want to get into it if I was going to hurt people like that.”
“Can you imagine…going on a second date with someone and being like, ‘OK, there’s this corner of the thing, and they’re going to say this, and it’s going to be really crazy, and they’re going to be really mean, and it’s not real.… But anyway, what do you want to eat?’”
On friendship: “What I value the most from my friends is I feel like I’m constantly reminded that it’s OK to be flawed. I think I’m pretty messy and make mistakes sometimes. I think that’s the most loving thing: You can see someone’s imperfections, and it’s not [that you] love them in spite of that, but it’s [that you] love them with that.”
On Roe versus Wade: “I can’t begin to imagine how terrifying it is to be a woman in America at the moment.”
On racial injustice: “Pretending as a white person you don’t get a head start just isn’t true”.
On his personality: “When I’m working, I work really hard, and I think I’m really professional…Then when I’m not, I’m not. I’d like to think I’m open, and probably quite stubborn, too, and willing to be vulnerable. I can be selfish sometimes, but I’d like to think that I’m a caring person.”
Olivia Wilde on Styles’ acting: “(Chris) Pine backed away, understanding this was Harry’s moment…The camera operator followed him as he paced around the stage like a kind of wild animal… We were all gobsmacked at the monitor. I think even Harry was surprised by it. Those are the best moments for an actor — when you’re completely outside your body.”
Brief timeline of Harry and Olivia Wilde’s relationship
