Chris Pine Says Harry Styles “Is a Very Kind Guy” After Spitgate Controversy
The actor believes it wasn't actually spitball, but an inside joke Styles was going for.
Chris Pine is putting spitgate to rest. Back in September 2022, at the premiere of Don’t Worry Darling in Venice, co-stars Pine and Harry Styles were subjects of a fan-fueled controversy after a video of Styles allegedly spitting on his co-star went viral.
At the time, Pine’s rep denied the spitgate rumors to People citing it as “a complete fabrication.” In a new Esquire video, Pine recalls how one of 2022’s biggest controversies came to be, and provided some behind-the-scenes context.
Pine said he first learned about spitgate while on the plane back from Venice via his publicist. “She wakes me up in a state and says, ‘We have to craft a message about what happened in Venice.’ I asked about what and she goes, ‘About Harry spitting on you,’” he recalled.
“I had no idea what happened,” Pine admitted. “She showed me the [clip] and it does look like Harry spitting on me, but he didn’t spit on me.”
“Harry is a very kind guy,” the actor said.
RELATED: Olivia Wilde Posts About Heartache on Valentine’s Day, Months After Breakup with Harry Styles
In the clip, Styles was caught allegedly spitting on Pine while taking his seat. A bit of back story: Olivia Wilde, the film’s director and Styles’s then-girlfreind, was seated on the other side of Pine. It was rumored that the couple were on the fitz based on their lack of chemistry on the red carpet.
The Wonder Woman actor vaguely remembered Styles telling him “a little joke” as he took his seat. By happenstance, perhaps some saliva came out of his mouth — but by no means did the singer outwardly spit on him, Pine confirmed.
“Because we’re all jetlagged, we’re all trying to answer these questions, and sometimes when you’re doing these press things your brain goes befuddled and you know, you start speaking gibberish,” he explained.
Pine added the cast had a running joke, “It’s just words, man.” Looking back, he’s confident that’s what Styles whispered in his ear. Consequently, it sparked an online debate about whether or not Styles spit on him.
Fans can stream Don’t Worry Darling on HBO Max.
