Fans Questioning Harry Styles' Character Amidst Lawsuit Against Close Friend Lizzo
How much responsibility do people hold for how their friends behave?
Featureflash Photo Agency, Ben Houdijk / Shutterstock In the wake of the lawsuit filed against Lizzo by three of her former dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, fans are questioning the veracity of the inclusive, body-positive messaging Lizzo has espoused along her rise to fame. The accusations against Lizzo include sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, which seem to exist in direct contrast to Lizzo’s projected persona.
Amidst the allegations comes a separate yet not unrelated concern, as fans rethink the well-documented friendship between Lizzo and Harry Styles.
Harry Styles' friendship with Lizzo raises the question of whether people should be held accountable for how their friends behave.
Lizzo’s friendship with Harry Styles originated from both musicians’ mutual admiration for the other’s artistry. In December 2019, Styles performed a cover of Lizzo’s song “Juice” at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge. During the interview, he praised Lizzo, saying, “She’s exactly what you want an artist to be… which is yourself.”
In February 2020, Styles joined Lizzo onstage in Miami, where she performed as part of a concert series during Super Bowl weekend. Together, the two sang “Juice,” solidifying their blossoming friendship. That same month, Lizzo went to the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, where she covered Styles’ song “Adore You.”
By the time the 2020 BRIT Awards rolled around, the affection between Styles and Lizzo was made crystal clear. Seated back-to-back at adjoining tables, the camera captured Lizzo tapping Styles to get his attention. They held hands as Harry tilted his head onto Lizzo’s shoulder.
Then came their reunion at the 2021 Grammy Awards, followed by Lizzo’s appearance during Styles’ Coachella set in 2022.
Styles even sent Lizzo flowers to celebrate her song replacing his on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which seemed to showcase his graciousness, along with how deeply he cared for Lizzo.
The allegations against Lizzo have fans reconsidering Styles’ character, as he seems to surround himself with allegedly toxic celebrities.
As one person named Rachel noted on Twitter, “The news about Lizzo makes me really question the company that Harry Styles keeps. Close friends with James Cordon and Lizzo? It’s not sounding good 4 u babes.”
Someone named Emma echoed that sentiment with a tweet of her own, stating, “Wondering how good of a person Harry Styles actually is if he surrounds himself with people like Olivia Wilde, James Corden, and now Lizzo.”
Styles and Wilde dated for almost two years after meeting on the set of the movie “Don’t Worry Darling,” which Wilde directed. Their romance ended in November 2022, following swirling allegations that Wilde helmed a very toxic environment during filming.
As for Corden, who Styles has been close with since his days in One Direction, the former-talk-show-host’s repeatedly entitled behavior has been well-documented over time.
Yet another person called attention to how Styles’ choice of friends might indicate a certain dissonance in his outward identity and who he is in private. They tweeted, “I remember that theory going around that Harry Styles may not be a great person [because] his friends keep having allegations come out against them and now Lizzo… It makes me think he’s a major pushover and is nice to [everyone] BUT if that’s the case a friend to all is a friend to none.”
While no one knows the true nature of any celebrity’s private personality, there’s validity in wondering what it means when the people they’re closest to appear to be toxic.
Ultimately, Styles isn’t responsible for Lizzo’s behavior. Yet it’s possible that people should be held accountable for who they decide to embrace, and who they let into their lives.
During Taylor Swift and Matty Healy’s short-lived romantic entanglement, it was evident just how problematic Healy was. Still, Swift made the decision to align herself with him, an act that spoke to where her values really lie.
In some ways, who we surround ourselves with over the course of our lifetime defines who we are. While we can’t control how our friends act, we can decide which of our relationships hold value. How we choose to move through the world and who we do it with shines a light on who we really are.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.