Where were you when the trailer for The Idea Of You dropped? (I was on my couch with a bag of chips in my lap, but anyway.) ICYMI, on March 6, audiences finally got a deeper look at the new romance movie, based on the book of the same name, and I’m confident when I say that my Harry Styles-loving self will be streaming this one the second it comes out. But shortly after the trailer released, fans were quick to point out similarities between The Idea Of You‘s August Moon band and One Direction. NGL, I kind of see it, too.
If you’re unfamiliar with what The Idea Of You is about, I’ll break it down for you. Basically, it’s if your favorite One Direction fanfiction put your mom as Y/N instead of you. The story (written by Robinne Lee) follows Solène, a 39-year-old mother, who takes her daughter to see her favorite boyband August Moon in the wake of her divorce. Things heat up when the frontman, Hayes Campbell, and Solène begin to see each other, causing media sensation and havoc in their personal lives. Was I not accurate in my initial description?
Upon watching the trailer, it’s pretty clear that the August Moon band took some inspiration from One Direction. Plus, seeing as the book was published in 2017, and probably written before that, it places the original timeline right around the time of the boyband’s rent-free presence in our minds. But is The Idea Of You really based on Harry Styles, and August Moon on One Direction? I did some digging.
The Idea Of You is based on Harry styles… kind of.
The author, Robinne Lee, actually commented on the Hayes Campbell-Harry Styles theory before. In a 2017 interview, Lee said that she found inspiration after stumbling across One Direction during a YouTube music video binge (same, girl). And when she found Harry Styles, the wheels started turning. “I spent a good hour or so Googling and trying to figure out who this kid was and in doing so I discovered that he often dated older women, and so the seed was planted,” she said.
However, Lee cleared the record that Hayes Campbell wasn’t entirely based on Harry Styles in a GoodReads Q&A. “I think people who are aware of Harry and/or want to picture Harry will. And that’s completely fair, as the most successful British boy band of the last ten years is One Direction,” Lee said. “But so much of who I wanted Hayes to be — his persona, his lineage, his upbringing, his education, his experiences, his cadence, his speech, his sense of self — is very specific, and not at all like Harry.”
Lee also added in a 2020 interview with Vogue, “This was never supposed to be a book about Harry Styles. It was supposed to be a story about a woman approaching 40 and reclaiming her sexuality and rediscovering herself, just at the point that society traditionally writes women off as desirable and viable and whole.” Well, there you have it folks.
But, the August Moon band does resemble one direction. Like, a lot.
Let’s get into the thick of it, because it’s kind of hard to ignore the similarities between August Moon and One Direction, at least in my opinion. I mean, both bands are comprised of five, hot British guys who have tattoos and sing songs to crowds of screaming teenagers with a few horny moms in the mix. Campbell, the lead singer, also resembles Styles with his tattoos, rings, and other accessory choices. And fuzzy sweaters. Obviously.
Also, just look at this photo and tell me it’s not a coincidence.
No, seriously. Look at it.
So while Lee didn’t initially intend for The Idea Of You to be so closely tied to One Direction, it looks as though Amazon Prime Studios might have taken some creative liberties here. And I’m not complaining! I’m sure Hayes Campbell is different than our boy Harry in a lot of ways, but the similarities between the two definitely have me excited for the film to premiere. I’m here for the 1D reincarnation, sue me!