Nick Kroll jokes that he told Harry Styles to ‘spit’ on Chris Pine at Don’t Worry Darling’s premiere
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Nick Kroll had some fun with the controversies surrounding his new movie Don’t Worry Darling during his performance Monday night on The Tonight Show.
Speaking to host Jimmy Fallon, the 44-year-old comedian and actor joked that he was the “mastermind” of all the behind-the-scenes drama that has dogged the Olivia Wilde-directed thriller, starring Florence Pugh, Chris Pine and Harry. Styles.
Kroll joked that he was responsible for persuading Harry to spit on his costar Chris at the Venice Film Festival premiere — although a Pine representative vehemently denied that the spit was being committed.
Nick Kroll joked on The Tonight Show Monday that he was the “mastermind” behind the drama that haunted his movie Don’t Worry Darling. He said he told Harry Styles to ‘spit’ on Chris Pine; seen on September 5 in Venice
After advising audiences to know as little as possible about Don’t Worry Darling before seeing the film, so as to get caught up in the twists and turns, Nick joked that he wanted to spark interest in the film.
“So I decided let’s create a lot of buzz around the movie – but not about the movie itself,” he laughed and clapped from the Tonight Show audience.
“I’m the puppeteer,” he added. “And so I’m like, ‘Hey Harry, you know what a great idea would be? When you walk into the Venice premiere, spit on Chris Pine.'”
But then Kroll joked that he was trying to do something even more dramatic.
New idea: “So I decided, let’s create a lot of buzz around the movie — but not about the movie itself,” he burst out laughing, clapping from the Tonight Show audience
Worth a try: “I’m the puppeteer,” he added. “And so I’m like, ‘Hey, Harry, you know what a great idea would be? When you walk into the Venice premiere, spit on Chris Pine'”
“Maybe you should just give me a kiss,” he joked, as a woman in the audience wept approvingly as Jimmy held up a photo of the premiere kiss.
“And then I asked him to spit in my mouth,” Kroll added. ‘He wouldn’t! That man has limits.’
“But it worked out in the end!” he said before finishing the segment.
Nailed: He also joked that he had asked Harry to kiss him at the premiere
Conflict: Rumors of tensions between star Florence Pugh and director Olivia Wilde (pictured alongside Nick) have haunted Don’t Worry Darling
Although Nick tried to keep it light, Don’t Worry Darling has been unable to shake off rumors of tensions on and off set.
The lead actor, Florence Pugh, has declined to publicize much for the film and skipped a press conference in Venice, despite photos later revealing she was around when the film was in progress.
The Little Women star reportedly felt uncomfortable with Wilde’s budding relationship with her co-star Harry Styles, although Wilde claimed in her Vanity Fair story that her relationship with her longtime partner Jason Sudeikis ended before she met Styles.
In recent weeks, Shia LaBeouf has also become involved in the seemingly endless drama. He was originally cast in the film as Florence’s on-screen husband, before being replaced by Harry.
After allegations of abuse were leveled against the Honey Boy actor by his former girlfriend FKA twigs, Olivia later claimed she fired him from the production for his behavior on set.
She doubled down on those claims in the Vanity Fair profile, explaining, “My responsibility was to her. I’m like a mother wolf. Calling was difficult, but in a way he understood. I don’t think it would have been a trial he enjoyed. He comes to work with an intensity that can be combative. It was not the ethos I demand in my productions.’
She added: “I want him to get better and develop because I think it’s a great loss to the film industry if someone with talent can’t work.”
War of words: Olivia previously claimed after abuse allegations against Shia LaBeouf came to light that she fired him from her film, but he claimed to have quit, with a leaked video and emails he allegedly sent her to back his claim to reinforce
But late last month, Shia denied her claims that she had fired him, instead claiming that he had left the project.
A video later leaked to social media seemed to bolster his claim that he had not been fired.
The clip, which was shot in a car, appeared to show Olivia begging the actor to stick with her film, while referring to Florence as “Miss Flo,” which some fans found demeaning.
Shia went on to explain that he was leaving the film, claiming he was leaving due to what he thought was insufficient rehearsal time, while sharing two emails with Variety that he claimed to have written to Olivia recently.