Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek were involved in what appeared to be a red carpet row at the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week that saw the Australian actress walk off as their friend Katy Perry watched on agog.
Nicole, 57, and Salma, 58, were stood in front of photographers with Ms Perry, 39, when a fiery altercation took place, apparently over Ms Hayek touching the blonde star when they were asked to pose together.
Footage of the incident two weeks ago in the French capital emerged online for the first time today, and has sparked a social media frenzy over who was in the wrong.
Salma, whose fashion mogul husband François-Henri Pinault owns Balenciaga, had appeared to try to get brand ambassador Nicole to turn to face the cameras – trying to steer her to face the cameras with an arm on her midriff – but Kidman wasn’t having any of it and appeared to swat her hand away.
Nicole Kidman, 57, and Salma Hayek, 58, appeared to share a tense moment at Balenciaga Paris Fashion Week show last month when the Aussie star pushed her hand away while they pose for photos
One witness claimed that Nicole told Salma firmly: ‘Don’t touch me’. The onlooker also claimed that Ms Perry had appeared ’embarrassed’.
An online watcher said: ‘Oh god, you could cut the tension with a knife’.
After pushing away her hand, Nicole turned her back before swivelling again to face Salma and gesticulated at her, including what appeared to be a hand signal for stop. She also pointed her finger.
Kidman then kissed Perry goodbye and walked away while appearing to share several more tense words with Hayek, who looked worried.
Nicole, who won the Best Actress Oscar for The Hours in 2003 – the same year Hayek was nominated against her for Frida – appeared to exchange more words with Ms Kidman out of shot,
Hayek was seen saying, ‘Yes please – advice’ – at which point Kidman purportedly replied, ‘You don’t need it’ and Hayek said, ‘I do.’
Fans were split over the incident. One said online: ‘Why is Nicole being so rude?’
But another on Reddit said: ‘I get that Salma was probably trying to direct her to pose for the cameras, but some people don’t like to be touched regardless of the situation, and you just gotta respect that’.
Hayek took to Instagram October 1 with a carousel of images, one in which she posed with Kidman – with awkward body language emanating from both.
One witness claimed that Nicole told Salma: ‘Don’t touch me’. The onlooker also claimed that Ms Perry had appeared ’embarrassed’.
Ms Kidman then turned her back on Ms Hayek during the altercation. There were claims that it started when Nicole stood in the way of a photographer trying to picture Salma
Nicole raised her hand into a stopping signal during the incident on the red carpet
Ms Hayek then gave a concerned look as Ms Kidman did not pose for a photo with her as Katy Perry watched on
The pair both were both seated in the front row and dressed in black
Hayek did not smile and Kidman was looking down in the photo, which Hayek captioned, ‘Finally last night the grand finale of my Paris Fashion Week 2025… [applauds] Balenciaga and Demna for a terrific show.
The From Dusk Till Dawn actress tagged in Kidman, Perry and Lindsay Lohan into the post, along with the label itself.
Nicole didn’t post about the show at the time but her latest post, featuring a photo of the actress posing on the balcony of her Paris hotel has been flooded with new comments from fans criticising her for the interraction with Salma.
Hayek dressed to impress at the fashion show in a tight black dress which featured a plunging neckline.
Kidman wore sunglasses at the catwalk show with a black high-neck bodycon dress with sheer tights and stilettos.
The event took place last month and it was the first time Kidman had been seen since the death of her mother Janelle.
The actress and her sister Antonia shared a heart-wrenching tribute to their late mother on Instagram and posted several never-before-seen photos of the matriarch.
They were seated in the front row alongside Salma’s husband François-Henri Pinault, middle. Perry is pictured far right chatting to Bill Skarsgård, second left, while Kyle MacLachlan, far right sat next to Anna Wintour, second right
Pinault and Salma Hayek matched in black at the fashion event
In her post, Kidman thanked her millions of fans and supporters for expressing their condolences during their time of grieving.
‘My sister and I along with our family want to thank you for the outpouring of love and kindness we have felt this week,’ Kidman wrote in the joint statement.
‘Every message we have received from those who loved and admired our Mother has meant more to us than we will ever be able to express. Thank you from our whole family for respecting our privacy as we take care of each other.’
The Australian actress was forced to leave Venice Film Festival to return to her native Sydney to be with her family after the devastating news.
Some online commentators have suggested Nicole’s brand ambassador deal with Balenciaga could be at risk as a result of the tense interraction, as Salma’s billionaire husband François-Henri Pinault, who she married in 2009, owns the fashion house.
French businessman Pinault is the CEO of Kerring, a business established by his father who made his name in the timber trade before snapping up a 42 percent stake in the Gucci Group in 1999.
Kidman and Hayek were posing for photos with Katy Perry when the Big Little Lies star seemed to grow tired of the shoot
Hayek and Kidman appeared on better terms in February of 2003 in London
The stars were on the award show circuit, Hayek for Frida, and Kidman for The Hours
The luxury goods company today owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta and Alexander McQueen.
In 2005, Pinault, then 40, took over the role of CEO of Kering from his father.
Nicole meanwhile was named brand ambassador for Balenciaga in December 2023, gushing at the time: ‘Balenciaga has been with me through some of the most memorable events in my life, from my wedding to the Oscars red carpet,’ adding that she looks forward to ‘creating more memories together.’
