Entertainment

Harry Styles auditioned for Dunkirk film and 'he had it', says Christopher Nolan

The One Direction star plays a soldier in the retelling of the 1940 Miracle of Dunkirk.
The One Direction star plays a soldier in the retelling of the 1940 Miracle of Dunkirk. The One Direction star plays a soldier in the retelling of the 1940 Miracle of Dunkirk.

Harry Styles earned his debut acting role in World War Two drama Dunkirk, the film’s director Christopher Nolan has said.

The One Direction star cut off his long curly hair to play a soldier in the retelling of the 1940 Miracle of Dunkirk.

In an interview with the LA Times, Christopher revealed Harry was picked on merit during auditions that attracted thousands of hopeful actors.

He said: “When we put the cast together, we had some established names, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy.”

“But for the guys on the beach, we really wanted young unknowns. He’s (Harry) not that unknown, but he’d never done anything as an actor before.

“So he auditioned. I auditioned literally thousands of young men with different combinations of young men. And he had it.”

In an early trailer for the film, which opens in the UK in July, Harry was shown submerged under water in a lifejacket and sitting helplessly on the French beach.

Earlier this week the musician revealed his debut solo single, Sign Of The Times, would be released on April 7.