Image Credit: ‘Postcards From London,’ Strand Releasing
“He’s so babygirl,” is a phrase that’s been tossed around a lot lately. But what does it mean to be “babygirl,” you might ask?
Well, it’s more about a vibe than it is a definition. In essence, it’s a term that’s been given new life by stan culture, frequently applied to hot male stars with some sadness behind their eyes—actors who, through their work, showcase the vulnerable and sensitive sides of masculinity, for better or for worse.
Pedro Pascal, Jacob Elordi, Charles Melton—they’re all babygirl, according to the internet. The label is infantilizing, sure, implying these are pitiable men (are at least the characters they play are) who need cared for. But also… isn’t the thought of coddling them hot?
Which brings us to Harris Dickinson, a strikingly handsome British actor who’s been on the rise for a few years now, making a name for himself playing brooding, bruised, and broken men on screen. Has anyone ever been more babygirl?
Solidifying this is fact that one of Dickinson’s next projects is an erotic thriller called—wait for it—Babygirl.
From A24 and Bodies Bodies Bodies director Halina Reijn, the film explores the complex power dynamics at play when a powerful CEO begins a sexual affair with her much younger intern, played by Dickinson.
Variety reports that Nicole Kidman has just joined the cast as the older woman who begins an illicit affair with her employee, alongside Antonio Banderas as her husband, Jean Reno (León: The Professional) as her business rival, and Sophie WIlde (Talk To Me) as an assistant who catches wind of the tryst.
So, yes, it seems the film’s title really is jumping on the trend, not referring to an actual “baby girl” but rather Dickinson’s young, helpless, and hot intern.
News of the project comes at a big moment for the 27-year-old actor. Currently, he can be seen in FX and Hulu’s dark whodunnit, A Murder At The End Of The World. And, next month, he’ll appear in the tragic wrestling biopic, The Iron Claw (opposite Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White), which is already garnering awards season buzz.
We’re starting to think ‘The Iron Claw’s’ press tour might just kill us.
In other words, if Dickinson isn’t already the internet’s #1 babygirl, he just might climb the ranks by the end of 2023.
Of course, we’ve long had a soft spot for Dickinson, who has a track record for taking on fascinating, challenging—and frequently queer—roles in indie and art house film.
His big breakthrough came in 2018’s Beach Rats, where he played a young bodybuilder who struggles with his sexuality as he uses hookup sites to meet with older men in secret. If you haven’t seen the dark and provocative drama yet, add it to your watch list right now!
Dickinson also played gay in 2018’s Postcards From London, as a male escort with big dreams, and had a small role in 2019’s Matthias & Maxime, the French-Canadian drama from queer filmmaker Xavier Dolan.
Since then, the actor’s balanced major blockbuster roles—Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil, The King’s Man—with more indie fare, including the Oscar-nominated Triangle Of Sadness and the queer short film Femme, which has a big-screen adaptation hitting U.S. theaters next year (albeit with 1917‘s George MacKay in the role Dickinson originated).
Whether the movie’s big or small, Dickinson has a knack for playing beautiful men who are frequently stony, sullen, or just downright sad—making you want to squeeze him even tighter and tell him it’s all going to be okay.
We must protect our babygirl Harris Dickinson at all costs.
