What Is Louis Tomlinson And Niall Horan's Relationship Like Today?

Simon Cowell knew he had something special on his hands when he grouped together five teen idols on "The X Factor U.K" in 2010, per Billboard. However, he may not have realized just how special the boys were. Cowell's handiwork birthed the beloved boy band One Direction, which went on to wow fans with their chart-topping hits over the course of their five-year stint together. As of 2020, Rolling Stone referred to them as "one of the great rock bands of the 21st century."

Unfortunately, all good things usually come to an end. In 2015, Billboard reported that Zayn Malik left the group, telling fans that he was looking forward to "some private time out of the spotlight." Less than a year later, the rest of the group announced that they too would be taking a brief hiatus, according to Capital FM. The rest, as they say, is history. While 2016 may have signaled the end of One Direction, their split hasn't stopped the former band members from speaking about one another in interviews. And although some relationships between the musicians have soured, former bandmates Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan have managed to maintain a sound friendship over the years.

While some celebrity friendships come and go, others are able to stand the test of time. Thankfully, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson's friendship belongs in the latter category. Despite the drama between some of their former 1D bandmates, Cosmopolitan notes that Tomlinson and Horan have remained supportive of each others' careers. For example, both Horan and Tomlinson publicly congratulated each other upon the release of their respective solo albums. When Horan released "Heartbreak Weather" in 2020, Tomlinson tweeted "Massive congrats on the new album mate!! @NiallOfficial." Horan responded in kind, tweeting, "Love ya bud, thank you!!!" Similarly, when Tomlinson came out with "Walls" in 2020, his band buddy tweeted, "Let's get Tommo right up the charts. This album is quality and deserves to be up there @Louis_Tomlinson." Aww!

The love and admiration doesn't stop there, either. In a 2019 interview with BUILD Series, Tomlinson admitted that if he could be any celebrity for a day, he would want to be his good friend Horan. "It just sounds so stress-free," Tomlinson shared, when discussing the reason behind his choice. "No drama, lovely lad, never gets himself in trouble, it's easy, it's a good life." Tomlinson may have been opposed to One Direction's split, but the breakup hasn't negatively impacted his relationship with his former bandmates. "I think we'll always have that love and respect for each other," he said, via BUILD Series.