In The Idea of You, Hayes Campbell, played by Nicholas Galitzine, is a global pop star who is a member of the boy band August Moon.
In the film, Hayes Campbell falls in love with Solène Marchand, a woman lot older than him, whose daughter used to be a fan of August Moon.
Hayes is swayed by her when she fails to recognize him and does not care even after he introduces himself.
Captivated by her, Hayes dedicates a song to Solène while he is on stage and tracks her art gallery down, intending to get to know her.
Hayes is honest about his feelings toward Solène, who likes him too, and eventually gives their relationship a shot.
A regular pop star
Hayes Campbell’s career trajectory is no different than that of any other pop star. Hayes became a pop star by auditioning like everyone else.
Hayes claims that they were all just polaroids on a wall. Hayes was selected just because he is English; at least that’s what he thinks.
The same day, Hayes also auditioned to play Tiny Tim in the Hackney Playhouse version of A Christmas Carol.
Hayes didn’t get the role because he was not tiny enough. He says if he had gotten the play, he would have done it. However, then he wouldn’t have become the pop star he is today.
During a more intimate conversation with Solène, Hayes reveals that he is not close with his parents. They split up when he was very young. His mother remarried.
His father is attempting to reconnect with him after not being there for him for the first 16 years of his life. Even Hayes wants to be close to his father, but it’s really hard for him to trust people.
A changed person
It is revealed that before Solène entered his life, Hayes behaved like an actual pop star.
It turns out that everything Hayes did to impress Solène, pretending to change the setlist at the last minute and dedicate a song to her, is what August Moon members do whenever they are trying to impress a girl.
The revelation puts Solène off, who immediately decides to leave, realizing that Hayes has done something similar to what Daniel did to her.
Before Solène can leave, Hayes confesses that he has felt happy for the first time by being with her. Furthermore, he is writing music that he cares about.
When Solène is adamant about leaving him, he lets her know that he thinks she never gave them a chance because none of her friends know about him.
Even though Solène and Hayes do get back together, Solène prioritizes the comfort of her daughter, Izzy, who gets bullied at school because her mother is dating a pop star a lot younger than her.
Solène is forced to part ways with Hayes again. Even though Hayes suggests that they revisit this after five years, when Izzy is out of school and he is less popular, Solène refrains from doing so.
Solène asks him to take a shot at happiness if he gets it because five years is too long. Anyhow, Hayes never forgets Solène.
Exactly five years later, Hayes, who seems to have gone solo, comes back to visit Solène, who has been expecting him ever since she watched him announce on a TV show that he would be visiting LA to meet someone.
Also Read: Solène Marchand: The Idea of You character explained
