Harry Styles has long faced queerbaiting allegations for his flamboyant fashion, like dresses and pearls, and flirty ambiguity. Critics even claimed that he teases queer vibes to sell records without identifying as part of the community. And now the pop star has finally put the rumors to rest on his latest SNL appearance, doing so in true Harry Styles fashion.

But why the kiss, and who is Ben Marshall, its lucky recipient?

Harry Styles kissed Ben Marshall, a cast member from SNL, right in the middle of his opening monologue on the March 14, 2026, episode. It was a hilarious, on-the-nose bit where Styles was riffing on years of 'queerbaiting' accusations. Following a run of comic interruptions, Ben Marshall, who has been a cast member of SNL since September 2025, stepped onstage prompting flirtatious banter from the singer that eventually led to a kiss.

As for the lucky guy, Marshall is 30, hails from Savannah, Georgia, and studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. For season 51, he was promoted to featured player alongside several others. 

Beyond SNL, he made a handful of guest appearances, including on Poker Face. But it was this kiss that basically made him a household name overnight, especially since it tied perfectly into Styles' promo for his fresh album while he hosted and performed tracks like 'Dance No More' and 'Coming Up Roses.'

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While the kiss stole the spotlight, the album it promoted is already making its own history.

'Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally' just smashed records with the biggest opening week of Harry Styles' career, hitting Number 1 on the UK Albums Chart. It beat 'Harry’s House' with over 113,000 units sold, his third chart-topper there and the top male solo launch since Ed Sheeran's 'Divide' in 2017.

Vinyl sales crushed it too, topping the Official Vinyl Albums Chart with 66,000+ copies. And now, the viral SNL kiss with Ben Marshall has proved to be the perfect promotional moment, tying into the album’s flirty title. 

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What do you think about Harry Styles' SNL kiss? Let us know in the comments.