Eternals director Chloé Zhao was confident in her casting of two upcoming actors, so much so that it was a package deal for the characters to come to the big screen. Patton Oswalt is the uncontested voice of Pip the Troll, and Harry Styles was the only actor to bring Eros to life.
Speaking to Deadline, Zhao said this about two characters in particular that she knew could only be played by two specific actors.
“Harry as Eros was very much a package deal for me. I pitched the idea of Pip the Troll and Eros to Kevin awhile back and I love the idea of exploring an Eternal who is beyond Titan and who may have influenced Thanos throughout the years the same way Eternals influenced us, earthlings.”
Zhao said that she wasn’t thinking of bringing the character to life and then finding an actor to play Eros. She kept an eye on Styles since Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, and Eros came to life when she met him. It was the complete package.
“And then, it wasn’t like I suggested Eros, and let’s go find actors. I kept tabs on Harry since Dunkirk, I thought he was very interesting. After meeting him I realized he is that character—the same way I cast the rest of my cast. There’s so much of Eros in him. For me, if he says yes and Kevin says yes then it’s a go. And I’m very happy they both did.”
Fans of Marvel’s Eternals will get their first look at both characters in the post-credit scenes in theaters, out now.
