Harry Styles plants a kiss on Nick Kroll’s lips during Don’t Worry Darling standing ovation

Possibly the actor was trying to lighten the mood, amid a string of controversies surrounding the movie

Harry Styles delighted audience members at the Venice Film Festival premiere of Don’t Worry Darling by planting a big kiss on his co-star Nick Kroll.

Olvia Wilde’s sci-fi starring Styles and Florence Pugh as the leads received a vivacious, five-minute standing ovation at the festival, which is known for giving long applauses after screenings.

Variety’s Co-Editor-in-Chief Ramin Setoodeh was in attendance and captured the moment that Styles kissed Kroll as the cast were leaving the cinema.

The video shows the former One Direction star grip Kroll on either side of his head before pulling him in for a kiss, leading to screams and applause from the crowd.

The pair then laugh together before walking off in an embrace.

Despite the warm Venician reception, Don’t Worry Darling has so far received middling reviews at best with critics nonetheless praising Pugh’s performance for its intensity while criticising Styles’ for its lack of energy.

In his three-star review for The Independent , Geoffrey Macnab wrote: “Jack is a one-dimensional figure, and the One Direction star fails to give him any hidden depth. Pugh is easily the film’s most vivid and compelling personality. She plays Alice in such fiery fashion that most other characters seem robotic by comparison.”

For a timeline of all the behind-the-scenes controversies to have plagued Don’t Worry Darling, click here.

Don’t Worry Darling will be released in UK cinemas on 23 September.