There aren't many people who can say that they've been slapped by Harry Styles. Zeus Rocancourt can.
In his new "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" music video, Styles plays a mermaid-like character — sub squid tentacles for a fishtail. After washing ashore, he is discovered by employees of Gill's Lounge, who bring him back to their divey restaurant where his angelic voice is the only thing standing between him and the chopping block — literally.
Rocancourt has one line ("Can I touch your tail?") in the Aube Perrie-directed video, which is immediately met with a tentacle slap from Styles. And while his cameo is short — about two seconds long to be exact — it quickly became a fan-favorite moment.
"I was definitely channeling the naïve person at the bar who doesn't know boundaries and is definitely slightly intoxicated," the 25-year-old actor told PEOPLE.
"It's not every day you ask somebody to touch their tail," he continued. "It's also not every day you see someone with a tail."
Rocancourt added that Styles' prosthetic tentacles were incredibly life-like.
"As far as I'm concerned, I got slapped by a squid," he said.
The New York City-based actor first delivered his line about 10 minutes before Styles had to leave the set for the day, and he said that he was "impressed by how professional and warm" the Don't Worry Darling actor was, especially given that he had been "spinning around for hours."
"He went out of his way to say 'hi' to multiple people on set and always with a smile," the actor said of Styles. "I admire that about him."
While the actors' interaction only lasted one take, Rocancourt said his line a couple more times and took quite a few tentacles to the face before the perfect smack was achieved. When asked how many times he was slapped, the actor said, "In total, at least 10 times."
"And I would do it again," he added.
Rocancourt, who starred in his first music video — Tinie Tempah's "Written in the Stars" — a decade ago, is no stranger to sets, but described this one as particularly "warm."
"It was amazing to work with everyone on that set," he said. "I don't have a single complaint."
The actor added that he was impressed not only by Styles' demeanor but also his voice, calling him "incredibly talented and such a genuine individual."
"It was just amazing to see him sing in person," he said. "I was immediately blown away by his talent."
"Harry went out of his way to be like, 'Hey, man, how's it going? Nice to meet you. What's your name?'" he said, adding that the "As It Was" singer remembered his name after they wrapped their scene together.
"Him remembering my name and going out of his way to say 'thank you' and 'hello' in the first place just felt so genuine," he said.
Starring in this video was an especially "full-circle" moment for Rocancourt because, as a senior in high school, he dressed up as One Direction, Styles' former boy band-slash-claim-to-fame, with his friends for Halloween. (Although he filled the shoes of member Zayn Malik, not a young Styles.)
And while Styles didn't actually slap Rocancourt — the fake tentacle and movie magic only make it look like he did — the actors did exchange a quick fist bump after filming when they "happened to cross paths one more time."
"I was like, 'Wow, like, this is surreal,'" Rocancourt said, recalling the moment. "'This is amazing, and I can't wait for this to come out.'"
