Harry Styles Jokes He Went to ‘Venice to Spit on Chris Pine’ During Return to Madison Square Garden

During his return to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, Harry Styles took a moment to address internet speculation that he spat on Chris Pine during the premiere of “Don’t Worry Darling” at Venice Film Festival.

“This is our tenth show at Madison Square Garden. It’s wonderful, wonderful, wonderful to be back in New York. I just popped very quickly to Venice to spit on Chris Pine,” Styles says jokingly in video footage captured by fans. “But fret not, we’re back!”

“Don’t Worry Darling” has been at the center of the film festival’s rumor mill, with a video clip going viral on social media that appears to show Styles spitting on Pine as he takes a seat at Monday night’s premiere. However, the act was not clearly discernible in the recordings, and has since been disputed by representatives for Pine.

“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,” Pine’s rep said in a statement toPvNew. “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.”

A source close to the Venice Film Festival also toldPvNewthat there was no tension around Styles and Pine during the premiere and that a potential spitting incident was flagged by no one during the event.

Styles plays the male lead in the Olivia Wilde-directed film, opposite Florence Pugh. Pugh notably did not make an appearance at the festival’s press conference for the movie, and will also not be attending its Q&A in New York.

The pop star will finish up his 15-night residency at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 21, and then play several multi-night runs in Austin, Chicago and Los Angeles through November. “Don’t Worry Darling” opens in theaters Sept. 23.