Harry Styles Breaks Silence on Spitting Controversy with Chris Pine During New York Concert

Styles joked about the Venice Film Festival incident while performing at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night.

Harry Styles is breaking his silence after a viral video had fans convinced that Styles spit on his Don't Worry Darling co-star, Chris Pine, at the Venice Film Festival premiere of their upcoming film.

A clip started circulating online Monday of 28-year-old Styles taking his seat next to 42-year-old Pine at the film's premiere in Italy. In the clip, the "As It Was" singer appears to do something with his mouth at the exact moment that Pine stops clapping, smiles and shakes his head.

Soon after the clip began making the rounds, many fans were convinced that Styles had, in fact, spit on Pine in front of hundreds of attendees at the premiere. 

Styles addressed the incident while speaking to fans at his concert at New York's Madison Square Concert Wednesday.

"This is our tenth show at Madison Square Garden," Styles began. "It's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful to be back in New York."

"I just popped very quickly to Venice to spit on Chris Pine," the singer joked before breaking out in a fit of laughter.

"But fret not, we're back," he told the sold-out crowd, before launching into his next song.

While the incident has become the talk of the festival, Pine's rep denied that it happened. 

"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," the rep told ET. "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."

But others think that Pine was simply realizing he'd put his own sunglasses, which he picks up a moment after the alleged spit, in his lap. 

"Chris Pine just wondered where his sunglasses were after the applause. And he zoned out (likes he’s been doing all day) and realised it’s in his lap. So I am sorry to say harry styles did not spit on him," one fan tweeted. 

The commentary surrounding the Styles/Pine moment is just the latest in the ongoing drama surrounding the film, Don't Worry Darling. After director Olivia Wilde had a public exchange with actor Shia LaBeouf, claiming she fired him from the project, he responded with video footage saying he quit. LaBeouf's role ultimately went to Styles, who also began a romantic relationship with Wilde during filming. There's also been reported tension between Wilde and the film's star, Florence Pugh, despite Wilde publicly praising the actress. 

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