UPDATED 9/7, 11:20 p.m. ET: Harry Styles decided to bring the hot gossip to the stage of MSG.
“This is our 10th show at Madison Square Garden, it is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful to be back here. I just popped very quickly to Venice to spit on Chris Pine,” Styles says with a grin in the clip below as he headlines in New York. “But fret not, we’re back!”
UPDATED 9/6, 2 p.m. ET: Chris Pine’s rep denied that Harry Styles spat on the actor, per People.
“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 Pines,” the rep added. “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.”
See original story below.
The Don’t Worry Darling drama may have just gone nuclear.
Thanks to a viral video making the rounds online, people are fiercely debating wether or not Harry Styles spit on his co-star Chris Pine during the film’s Venice premiere on Monday.
The brief clip shows Styles taking his seat for the screening in the Salle Grande, before seemingly spitting into Pine’s lap.
Pine continues to clap for his co-star but glances down at his lap before sporting a smile. The clip has set Twitter ablaze, with many observers openly convinced that Styles did in fact spit on Pine, while others aren’t so sure.
“The ‘i did not spit on that man’ notes app apology harry styles will soon be forced to tweet is already shaping up to be an all-timer,” wrote one person.
“Someone needs to begin a full fledged investigation into what happened on that don’t worry darling set… wdym harry styles spitting on chris pine on NATIONAL TELEVISION?” wrote another.
Others joked about the Zapruder-like quality of the clip.
Another angle from Styles’ entrance makes a convincing case that he didn’t actually spit on Pine.
Either way, this latest episode has capped off what has already been a contentious and dramatic roll-out for Olivia Wilde’s sophomore film. Tabloid rumors first emerged in mid-August claiming Florence Pugh, who stars in the film as a 1950s suburban housewife alongside Styles, had a falling out with Wilde after the director became romantically linked to the pop singer during filming. More rumors soon followed that\ Pugh had also been paid a third of what Styles made.
In the weeks leading up to the Venice premiere, Wilde gave a lengthy interview with Variety,denying the supposed pay gap, and claiming the other rumors had “no validity.” She then implied that Shia LaBeouf, who had initially been cast in Styles’ role, was fired due to his “combative energy” on set.
LaBeouf then rebuked Wilde’s claim in a lengthy email, stating he had quit her film and that the Booksmart director had actually begged him to say on.
LaBeouf’s email also contained screenshots of texts from Wilde as proof. A video clip also leaked featuring Wilde asking LaBeouf to reconsider leaving the film. Wilde also seemingly criticized Pugh, or “Miss Flo” as she called her, for raising concerns about working with the actor, who last year was sued for domestic and sexual abuse by FKA Twigs.
During the press conference at the Venice festival, Wilde refused to answer questions related to LaBeouf or any of the other reports, calling them “noise.”
Complex has reached out to a Harry Styles representative for comment.
Don’t Worry Darling hits theaters on Sept. 23. Revisit the trailer below.
