To spit or not to spit? That is the question. After months of alleged drama amongst the cast and crew of Olivia Wilde’s new film Don’t Worry Darling, it’s only fitting that press for the premiere centred around gossip rather than the mediocre-at-best movie. The moment in question happened just before the screening when, while taking his seat, Harry Styles may or may not have spit on his co-star Chris Pine.

Spitting for box office sales— Suzanna Graham

At this point, the Don’t Worry Darling set is just a breeding ground of chaos and cancel culture—#Spitgate was tweeted nearly as much as the Queen’s death. 

Harry Styles absolutely spat on Chris Pine. I don’t care if the projectile spittle was visible or not—it happened. Look at Styles’ pursed lips, perfectly in sync with Pine’s surprised face and subsequent smile at the honour. No questions here, friends. But, let’s entertain the conspiracy theorists: Why did Pine smile? Simple—he knows that his co-stars are just continuing the media circus surrounding the film. This stunt in particular adds to the drama surrounding Styles’ and Olivia Wilde’s on-set romance.

Styles and Wilde met and started dating while working on the film. Twitter initially believed they might have broken up Wilde’s nine-year relationship with Jason Sudeikis—but Wilde has nipped that theory in the bud. They might have already broken up, as Styles proved at the premiere when he’d rather kiss Nick Kroll than his “girlfriend.” While neither Styles nor Wilde have commented on the current status of their relationship, their cool body language seems highly telling. 

So why spit on her? Why spit on anyone? The only thing the internet agrees on about #Spitgate is that spit is difficult to see. So why do it at all? The chaotic cast has evidently taken the phrase “all press is good press” to heart. With the reviews for Don’t Worry Darling being shockingly subpar, Styles has clearly decided to poke the media bear even more. Without the spit, without the feuds, DWD would flop harder than Morbius did—twice. After the disputed moment, Styles looks at the camera—not like Jim in The Office, but in genuine confusion. Honestly? Give the man an Oscar because it’s the best acting he’s done to date. But sure, he didn’t spit. If you don’t believe me, believe Styles at his Madison Square Garden concert—#Spitgate is real. 

Harry would never – Adrienne Roy 

As a borderline criminally insane fan of Harry Styles, his return to acting was something I had been looking forward to since his small role in 2017’s Dunkirk. Without having seen Don’t Worry Darling (yet), it’s hard to fathom the movie being any more psychologically thrilling than its premiere. It was mad. It was baffling. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. Between Styles (eloquently) reassuring his audience that the movie does, in fact, “feel like a movie” and Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh’s dissertation-worthy feud, it seemed like anything could happen, even spitting.

Despite the circumstances, the theory that Harry Styles spat on Chris Pine—who proved he was God’s strongest soldier in Venice—is absurd. If anything, Pine had more reason to spit on Styles, not the other way around. The DWD premiere had many internet-breaking moments—which made Spitgate perfectly conceivable—but this situation can definitely be chalked up to poor timing. Quite frankly, it would’ve been more on-brand for Styles to choke Pine with a seaview. And they were even by the ocean! Not to mention that we’re talking about the person who wrote a song called “Treat People With Kindness” and frequently waves pride flags at concerts. Styles wouldn’t have such a massive, sometimes terrifying, yet unconditionally supportive fanbase if he weren’t a loving and respectable person. Also, he’s a carefully media-trained Libra moon. 

Although Pine and Styles’ PR teams have confirmed that no spitting occurred between the co-stars, I think that having the saliva of the world’s most wanted man on your shoe—or in your mouth, if you’re Nick Kroll—is a privilege that anyone with eyes and a good head on their shoulders would accept with gratitude.

No contributors spit or were spat on in the writing of this debate.