The following contains spoilers for Don't Worry Darling, now playing in theaters.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling has been the cast. Sure, there's been controversy with her and Florence Pugh reportedly having a rift, but that aside, the film really packed in interesting characters. And at the heart of it is the sinister Jack.
Jack's played by Harry Styles, who many know from the boy band, One Direction. However, Styles impressed in Dunkirk and had a cameo as Thanos' brother, Starfox/Eros, in Eternals. Still, it was unclear if he could take on such a big role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, suffice it to say, he's perfectly ready, and Don't Worry Darling illustrated it.
How Don't Worry Darling Proves Harry Styles Has Acting Chops
In this film, Jack initially cut a sweetheart role -- a romantic who built the perfect life for Alice. However, she began to suspect something or someone was messing with her mind, and they were living in a fake world. Jack ended up betraying her and was revealed to be her husband in the real world, who knocked her out, hooked her up to tech and had her subjugated in a digital construct.
It was a horrific revelation, but it did show Styles' range, going from this hunky gentleman, dancing and jiving with Chris Pine's Frank, to a toxic male firmly believing in the patriarchy. In reality, he was a disheveled hater who wanted his wife to be subservient, turning him into quite a dark character. Even when he broke down in the construct, hating how he turned Alice in to get brainwashed again, his screams, tears and angst painted different sides to the villainous aspect of his character.
It was a dynamic way of shifting him from hero to zero, with Styles capturing the charm, charisma and dislikable factor of all these personas. And he landed them with ease, coming off totally believable as he adopted each role. And that is the kind of drama and emotional heft Starfox has encompassed since he debuted in the '70s.
What Makes Harry Styles the MCU's Perfect Starfox?
Sure, Starfox has been a heroic Avenger, but he's always had ulterior motives. In that sense, he kept playing mind games, even with Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Not to mention, he's seduced ladies and had quite a seedy sexual past due to his ability to influence people's minds.
Admittedly, it's uncertain if Marvel Studios will follow this unsavory path, but the point still stands -- Eros is someone you can't trust, whether it's as the Mad Titan's brother or someone working his own endgame. Ultimately, he loves manipulation, control and working his forked tongue in a way no one would think anything of his sly smiles. And with Don't Worry Darling, the proof is in the pudding, as Styles' Jack is the ideal performance to instill confidence that the actor will totally own the Starfox role.
See Styles show bits of Eros in Don't Worry Darling, now in theaters.