Is The Idea of You based on a true story?
Prime VideoAge-gaps, Coachella, and a whirlwind summer romance, The Idea of You has it all — but is it based on a true story?
If there’s one 2024 movie that has the power to reinvent the rom-com genre for good, it’s Prime Video’s The Idea of You. Starring Anne Hathaway as single mother Solène and Nicholas Galitzine as pop megastar Hayes, the pair strike up an unlikely romance after meeting at the infamous music festival.
“So many plot points set The Idea of You up to be a corny disaster, but the movie actually delivers something that’s not only entertaining but thought-provoking. Utilizing typical taboos such as age-gap relationships, single motherhood, and broken families, Anne Hathaway spearheads a realistic reminder that yes, actually, women over a certain age can be happy,” we said in our four-star review.
With the movie available to stream on Prime Video from May 2, is The Idea of You based on a true story?
Is The Idea of You based on a true story?
No, The Idea of You isn’t based on a true story, but it does allegedly take inspiration from real life. The film is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Robinne Lee.
Prime VideoOriginally published in 2017, it wasn’t until 2020 that Lee’s story gained popularity, becoming a must-read during the pandemic. Lee told The Guardian that she got the initial inspiration from watching a boyband video on YouTube, remarking to her husband, “‘I found this perfect guy. I’m going to run off and follow him and his band around the world.’ He laughed and said: ‘You’re crazy. But that would make a really good story.'”
There are some key changes made between the book and the movie, mostly surrounding people’s ages. Whereas Solène is 40 and Hayes is 24 in the film, Solène is 39 and Hayes is 20 in the original book. Solène’s daughter is also 12 in the novel, which is considerably younger than she is portrayed on screen.
Critics have also commented on the change of tone from movie to book, claiming that director Michael Showalter has “toned down” the novel’s original steaminess. Michelle Ruiz from British Vogue explained, “The Idea of You film takes a story beloved for its daring and spins it back into something safer and more tepid.”
Showalter also consciously chose to change the story’s ending, telling Radio Times, “I think, for me, it was more just as the filmmaker, and as a fan of romantic comedy and romantic movies, this felt like the kind of movie where we wanted to give the audience a hopeful ending.
“And so, we certainly could have ended the movie in a different way. But for this story, we felt like a more uplifting ending was what would be most satisfying for our audience. And ultimately, the audience is what matters most when making a movie like this.”
Who is Hayes Campbell based on?
In 2020, Lee told Vogue that Hayes Campbell was inspired by real life, making him a crossover between Prince Harry and Harry Styles.
Prime VideoAfter revealing that said YouTube videos were of Styles, Lee told Vogue Hayes is supposed to be “Prince Harry-meets-Harry [Styles].” But she also that The Idea of You’s focus isn’t supposed to be on Hayes at all.
“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,” Lee explained.
When Buzzfeed asked Galitzine about his inspiration behind portraying Hayes, he shared similar thinking. The star said he “tried to create a character that felt akin to Harry,” stating “in a sense that he’s a younger man dating older women.”
Galitzine also added that he wanted to “create someone who felt new and original and not a shoddy impersonation of this person.”
Not only has fan speculation about Hayes and Harry links been rife, but some also believe that Solène is supposed to resemble his former girlfriend, Olivia Wilde.
Is The Idea of You fanfiction?
No. Robinne Lee has previously flat-out dismissed the thinking that The Idea of You is based on fanfiction, even if there seem to be similarities.
Prime VideoFans have repeatedly referenced Lee’s 2020 interview with Vogue as confirmation that The Idea of You doesn’t lean into fanfiction, though multiple articles have reported it to be one.
However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t blatant links to One Direction throughout the movie. Fictional boyband August Moon comes equipped with plenty of bangers, with songwriters Carl Folk and Savan Kotecha — who previously helped write ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ — were enlisted to help lay down some tunes. The pair are listed as both producers and composers of ‘Dance Before We Walk.’
Fans have also pointed out the similarities between a shot of Styles in a One Direction photoshoot and Hayes in a promotional poster released by Prime Video.
Find even more amazing movies, TV shows, and true crime documentaries to catch on streaming this month. If that’s not enough, find out what’s in store this year for K-drama.