A very compelling theory on why Chris Pine has undergone a makeunder.

Chris Pine has been going through some changes. 

And they began with a colourful cardigan.

Back in October 2023, Pine was photographed wearing a striped multicoloured cardi and yoga leggings. The Wonder Woman actor wore his hair untamed and his beard long, grey and unruly.

The randomness of this outfit selection birthed countless memes celebrating the actor's rather rogue rebrand.

It's a far cry from the dapper version of Pine that fans have grown accustomed to, with the 43-year-old typically having a clean-shaven face and slicked-back tresses.

Very handsome man, Chris Pine. Image: Getty. 

Chris Pine does not look like this anymore.

His metamorphosis reached completion when the actor made his debut at the LA premiere of his new movie, Poolman, and his appearance was a sight to behold.

This man was rocking jorts on the red carpet. This is a cry for help, Chris.

Pine wore a beige checkered blazer with a tacky fake flower pinned to his lapel, worn over an 'I Heart LA' T-shirt, paired with aforementioned jorts (jean shorts), all topped off with hiker boots and socks. 

Chris Pine has gone full Poolman. Image: Getty. 

To complement the whole effect, he wore his bleached blonde hair out, and slid a pair of Oakley red-tinted shades on top. 

This is a lot to digest.

Taking into account the sartorial decisions made in the lead-up to this red carpet, though, I'm sensing a theme. It's all to do with something Pine is wanting to promote.

Like Margot Robbie did with Barbie in 2023 and Zendaya is currently doing with Challengers, Pine is committing to the aesthetic of this film. In Pine's case, he is dressing as his Poolman character — a middle-aged, free-spirited pool cleaner named Darren Barrenman.

This isn't just any old movie that Pine was cast in either. Poolman is his directorial debut, plus he produced the film and co-wrote the script.

The stakes for Chris Pine have never been higher. 

And it looks like he has good reason to be trying to draw headlines for his random fashion. This man has an uphill battle ahead of him as the reviews for this movie's early festival run have so far been... truly god-awful.

IndieWire referred to Poolman as a "disastrous directorial debut" for Pine, writing that the film is "so abysmal in its writing and assembly that there were numerous walkouts during its premiere".

A review in Variety corroborated that many people had walked out of a movie screening, and they called Poolman the "worst" film they saw the entire festival season. Yikes.

Watch the trailer for Poolman. Post continues after video. 

Pine is no stranger to being a part of a movie whose PR spectacle gains more attention than the movie itself. After all, he starred in 2022 thriller Don't Worry Darling.

This film became a media circus with claims of infighting between director Olivia Wilde and star Florence Pugh, accusations that Harry Styles couldn't act — and then came the alleged spit that set the internet ablaze. Everyone remembers where they were the day the world decided Harry Style spat on Chris Pine at the Venice Film Festival. 

It truly was a time to be alive.

But despite all the noise around the drama of making the movie, the awkward tension during the press tour, and the mixed reviews the film itself got — many would argue that all the PR spin worked.

Don't Worry Darling, a psychological thriller probably intended to have a smaller indie run with a modest profit, ended up making almost $137 million at the box offer on a budget of around $53 million. Not too shabby at all.

Poolman is Pine's first movie since Don't Worry Darling and Dungeons and Dragons, which drew mixed reviews and was considered a box office flop.

If Pine learned anything from the Don't Worry Darling saga (perhaps harnessing some wisdom from Harry's 'spit'), he might be prepared to do anything he can to keep Poolman afloat.

And that includes wearing jorts.

Feature image: Getty. 

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