Harry Styles made headlines when he appeared to spit on Chris Pine during a screening of Don't Worry Darling at the Venice International Film Festival, but what actually happened? Olivia Wilde's second directorial effort focuses on Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack Chambers (Styles), a young couple who move into the "Victory Project," a seemingly idyllic town built by Jack's employer. Things begin to unravel, however, when Alice suspects their new community holds dark secrets. Pine plays Frank, the leader of the mysterious town. The film has been mired in controversies leading up to its release, including the troubled departure of its original star, Shia LaBeouf, and a rumored feud between Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
A video of an apparent altercation between Styles and Pine has further fueled speculation about the film's reported troubles. Don't Worry Darling held its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. A video from the event showed Chris Pine in his seat, clapping with Olivia Wilde to his right and an empty seat to his left. Seconds later, Styles arrived, looked down, seemingly spitting at Pine's lap before sitting down. The Wonder Woman and Star Trek star then stopped clapping and smirked as the former One Direction member fixed his clothes and smiled at somebody off-screen. Multiple theories have surfaced online since the video's release, with users frantically speculating about whether or not Styles actually spit on Chris Pine.
Did Harry Styles Really Spit On Chris Pine?
As mentioned, the video shows that Styles looked down at Pine, seemingly performing a spitting motion with his mouth. Pine then stopped clapping before reaching down and grabbing his glasses from his seat. At first glance, it did appear the "Watermelon Sugar" singer spit on his co-star. However, in a statement (via People), Chris Pine's representative clarified that Styles didn't spit on the actor, and said that, contrary to popular belief, there is no feud between them:
"This is a ridiculous story — a complete fabrication and the result of an odd online illusion that is clearly deceiving and allows for foolish speculation. […] Just to be clear, Harry Styles did not spit on Chris Pine. […] There is nothing but respect between these two men and any suggestion otherwise is a blatant attempt to create drama that simply does not exist."
The statement could be seen as PR management to keep negative attention away from the movie. That could be particularly likely given the various controversies surrounding the project and its disappointing reviews (Don't Worry Darling is currently graded as "Rotten" on Rotten Tomatoes). However, there appears to be photographic evidence of Styles' innocence.
A Twitter user posted a slow-motion replay of the event, which shows nothing exiting out of Harry Styles' mouth. The singer appeared to simply have a strained facial expression as he leaned over to sit down. That, paired with Pine's statement, seemingly dispels a possible conflict between the two actors.
Why Did People Think Harry Styles Spit On Chris Pine
Per Pine's representative, Styles did not spit on the actor, but what led people to believe that had been the case? First, there's the simple fact that the odd interaction between the two in the viral video made it seem like that was what had happened. The confusion was reinforced by Pine's response, as he stopped clapping and looked down, apparently in the direction that Styles leaned in. The speculation was fueled by videos showing Chris Pine's zoned-out appearance at the Venice Festival's Don't Worry Darling panel, and his reaction while sitting next to Styles during an interview.
There's also the matter of the movie's well-publicized controversies. As mentioned, Don't Worry Darling has been the subject of multiple reports of behind-the-scenes drama and speculation about on-set feuds. True or not, said stories have encouraged people to see the film as a wholly dysfunctional venture. This perception almost certainly prompted online sleuths to speculate about what is officially stated to have been an innocent interaction between Pine and Styles.
Alt Theories About What Happened With Harry Styles & Chris Pine
There were other theories circulating online regarding what happened between the two actors. The first one was that Styles did actually spit on Pine, but it was simply a playful interaction between them. That may be unlikely, however, given Chris Pine's official response to the situation. Another possibility is that Pine looked down wanting to reach for his sunglasses, which were on his seat, as shared by a user on Twitter.
Considering Pine's statement, that seems to be the likeliest theory. Given the heavy emphasis put on Don't Worry Darling's apparent controversies, the story will probably be associated with the film long after its release. It could ultimately prove beneficial, however, as audiences may be encouraged to watch the film simply out of curiosity for its reportedly troubled production. Drama and controversies aside, though, it seems clear that Harry Styles did not spit on Chris Pine.