Louis Tomlinson plays coy on One Direction’s antics as teen heartthrobs: ‘We were all lovely boys’
One Direction certainly made some midnight memories.
But Louis Tomlinson tiptoed around the subject of just how many naughty antics he and his former bandmates got into as teenage heartthrobs in a new interview with Page Six.
“We were all lovely boys,” he deadpanned. “Lovely, lovely boys we were.”
Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik made up the boy band, which was formed on Britain’s “The X Factor” in 2010.
Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Tomlinson and Liam Payne made up one of the biggest boy bands in history.WireImage
The quintet behind hit songs like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Story of My Life” went on to sell over 70 million records worldwide and was adored by hordes of shrieking young fans.
Tomlinson, admitted that despite being “lovely boys,” they still managed to get into some mischief.
“There were of course those times where we wanted to be ‘normal young lads’ and wanted to go out and have a drink and do whatever it is young lads do at that age, and so that was somewhat challenging,” he told us. “I just think that we found our own ways to do that.”
The “Bigger Than Me” singer added that he feels grateful to have gone through the experience.
“There was something very beautiful about going through that stage of our lives [together],” he explained. “We were all very young, 16 to 18. So to be young lads and to go through the craziness together at that young age …”
The group splintered in 2015 when Malik abruptly left, and they announced an indefinite hiatus the following year.
The band had a huge following of young fans.Kevin Kane
Tomlinson said there were times the group wanted to be “normal young lads.”Getty Images
Since then, Tomlinson has endured personal tragedy, losing his mother, Johannah Deakin, to leukemia in 2016 when she was 43 years old and his younger sister Félicité Tomlinson to an accidental drug overdose in 2019 at the age of 18.
Despite this, the “Kill My Mind” crooner describes himself as a “massively” optimistic person.
“I’m lucky like that because I’ve always been that way,” he shared. “Always look at the glass half full and all of that.”
Tomlinson launched a successful solo career after One Direction went on hiatus.Instagram/@louist91
“I think it’s a good, positive message to spread,” he explained. “And yeah, I’ve been lucky enough to always be an optimist in life. So I just kind of wanted to show that.
“We’ve all got our own worries and frustrations, but regardless of whatever those frustrations may be, to strive to see that glass as half full, it’s something I’ve always tried to do, no matter what I’ve been up against in life. …. All I’m trying to say is just spread positive messages. It’s just as simple as that, really.”
Tomlinson released his latest album, “Faith in the Future,” in November 2022.Getty Images
Tomlinson loves being on the road but does miss some things from home.
“The food,” he enthused. “Like Greggs sausage rolls. I f–king love Greggs [a UK bakery chain]. We often get a lot of s–t in England [about the cuisine]. We have s–t food apparently, but I love English food! I just had an English breakfast today actually for the first time on this American tour, so I’m a very happy guy.”
