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Louis Tomlinson comments on animated Larry Stylinson sex scene in HBO show Euphoria

By | Published on Wednesday 3 July 2019

Larry Stylinson

One time 1Der Louis Tomlinson has said that he “categorically” did not approve a much talked about 1D-featuring scene in HBO’s new teen drama ‘Euphoria’. In that scene an animated version of himself is seen participating in a sex act with an animated version of his former bandmate Harry Styles.

The scene is exploring the online phenomenon of erotic fan fiction through a character called Kat who, in the universe of the show, writes a story about One Direction that results in the real world Larry Stylinson craze. That being, of course, the fan theory that – during 1D’s peak – Tomlinson and Styles were in a secret romantic relationship.

Tomlinson has previously discussed the negative impact that conspiracy theory had on his real world friendship and working relationship with Styles. After the HBO show animated the Larry Stylinson fanfic story its Kat character had written, one 1D fan wrote on Twitter “you can just TELL Louis [is] not gonna like it”.

The same tweeter also mused: “Just going to sit and hope that they [Tomlinson and Styles] for some reason approved it, because surely they had to [in order] to get it [on] air”. It was in response to that remark that Tomlinson himself tweeted: “I can categorically say that I was not contacted nor did I approve it”.

In the wake of the programme’s airing and Tomlinson’s short response, some have speculated whether he or Styles could go legal over the animated portrayal of their fictional sexual liaison. Privacy and defamation laws have been mentioned, although neither really apply in a case like this.

There are the ‘personality rights’ that exist in US law which are possibly more relevant here. Though those are designed to stop people profiting off other people’s personal identities and, even though HBO is a pay-to-view TV channel, it would probably be hard to argue that it had directly profited from portraying Tomlinson and Styles in this way in this show.

First amendment free speech rights would also likely scupper any legal action Stateside. Though, we should add, the idea of Tomlinson calling his lawyers on this is also currently fictional.

Elsewhere, the actress who plays Kat, Barbie Ferreira, has spoken about the fanfic storyline. She told the Hollywood Reporter: “When I first read the script, that was the first thing that popped out to me, because I can relate to that as a 22 year old woman who lived through the One Direction age. It’s such a reality for so many people, and so many children and teens that are fans just have this escapist world”.

She went on: “You completely give yourself to this persona of a person you don’t even know, or five guys, and imagine the way they interact, escaping from your own reality. It’s really interesting to me because I was definitely a part of that, where I wanted to escape my own life and focus on others because it was easier and felt more meaningful”.

Styles has not as yet commented on his animated guest spot in the HBO show.

One time 1Der Louis Tomlinson has said that he “categorically” did not approve a much talked about 1D-featuring scene in HBO’s new teen drama ‘Euphoria’. In that scene an animated version of himself is seen participating in a sex act with an animated version of his former bandmate Harry Styles.

The scene is exploring the online phenomenon of erotic fan fiction through a character called Kat who, in the universe of the show, writes a story about One Direction that results in the real world Larry Stylinson craze. That being, of course, the fan theory that – during 1D’s peak – Tomlinson and Styles were in a secret romantic relationship.

Tomlinson has previously discussed the negative impact that conspiracy theory had on his real world friendship and working relationship with Styles. After the HBO show animated the Larry Stylinson fanfic story its Kat character had written, one 1D fan wrote on Twitter “you can just TELL Louis [is] not gonna like it”.

The same tweeter also mused: “Just going to sit and hope that they [Tomlinson and Styles] for some reason approved it, because surely they had to [in order] to get it [on] air”. It was in response to that remark that Tomlinson himself tweeted: “I can categorically say that I was not contacted nor did I approve it”.

In the wake of the programme’s airing and Tomlinson’s short response, some have speculated whether he or Styles could go legal over the animated portrayal of their fictional sexual liaison. Privacy and defamation laws have been mentioned, although neither really apply in a case like this.

There are the ‘personality rights’ that exist in US law which are possibly more relevant here. Though those are designed to stop people profiting off other people’s personal identities and, even though HBO is a pay-to-view TV channel, it would probably be hard to argue that it had directly profited from portraying Tomlinson and Styles in this way in this show.

First amendment free speech rights would also likely scupper any legal action Stateside. Though, we should add, the idea of Tomlinson calling his lawyers on this is also currently fictional.

Elsewhere, the actress who plays Kat, Barbie Ferreira, has spoken about the fanfic storyline. She told the Hollywood Reporter: “When I first read the script, that was the first thing that popped out to me, because I can relate to that as a 22 year old woman who lived through the One Direction age. It’s such a reality for so many people, and so many children and teens that are fans just have this escapist world”.

She went on: “You completely give yourself to this persona of a person you don’t even know, or five guys, and imagine the way they interact, escaping from your own reality. It’s really interesting to me because I was definitely a part of that, where I wanted to escape my own life and focus on others because it was easier and felt more meaningful”.

Styles has not as yet commented on his animated guest spot in the HBO show.



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