A tense red carpet exchange between Hollywood icons Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek has internet sleuths trying to work out what exactly went down.
The Eyes Wide Shut actress, 57, and the From Dusk Til Dawn star, 58, were both in attendance at the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week recently, but the quite painfully awkward footage has only just emerged.
As the stars graced the red carpet, onlookers were left shocked as they seemingly argued in front of photographers.
Footage captured at the event appears to show Hayek attempting to turn Kidman toward the cameras before she swats her hand away.
A witness told The Daily Mail that Kidman snapped at Hayek ‘Don’t touch me’ before turning to hug her pal Katy Perry, who looked notably tense.
The source also said the California Gurls singer, 39, had appeared ’embarrassed’ by the interaction.
Kidman eventually turned back to Hayek and seemed to signal for her to stop with her hand, while also pointing her finger at her.
But that wasn’t the end of the awkward red carpet moment as she appeared to share more tense words with Hayek while walking away after kissing Perry goodbye.
After Kidman exits, it is reported Hayek said ‘Yes please. Advice’, though it is not clear what she’s referring to.
Someone off camera, possibly Kidman, responds ‘You don’t need it’, to which Hayek says ‘I do.’
The Frida star was quick to quash rumours of a feud between the pair as she shared a post tagging the Big Little Lies actor on her Instagram page.
‘Finally last night the grand finale of my Paris Fashion Week 2025…’ she wrote in the caption alongside snaps of her, Kidman, Perry, and Lindsay Lohan at the event.
Are Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek friends?
Kidman and Hayek have been pictured together numerous times, and have had no previous interactions that would suggest bad blood between the pair.
Hayek is also good friends with Kidman’s ex Tom Cruise, whom she dated from 1990 to 2001.
She posted a tribute for the Top Gun star’s 62nd birthday earlier this year, and was snapped attending one of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shows with him.
One of Hayek’s long-time close friends is Penelope Cruz, who dated Cruise from 2001 to 2004.
She continued: ‘Balenciaga and Demna for a terrific show @katyperry @lindsaylohan @nicolekidman.’
But it hasn’t stopped fans from speculating what happened between the pair as the footage surfaced for the first time since the star-studded event.
On Reddit, Theory_hacker wrote: ‘It just seems like Nicole didn’t want to take a photo as the photographer was directing her to. Salma did say “She doesn’t want to take it” to the photographer.’
Cmaia1503 reasoned: ‘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.’
Others also suggested Kidman’s reaction could be fuelled by grief following the death of her mother last month.
Some users slammed the speculation, suggesting that the video and the reaction from fans was creating ‘drama from nothing.’
‘I hate clips like this. They were talking and hugging after the clip, but this was cut purposely this way,’ _minca8028 claimed.
Crystal_clear24 also said: ‘Someone posted the longer version of this video on Twitter last week but I can’t find it but they end up posing together in the end. There’s no drama here, I think Nicole was just over it all.’
Friender_sender added: ‘I don’t think they’re fighting. I saw a clip like a few moments later with them laughing with Bill Skarsgård as Katy Perry put blotting paper on his face. There was a lot going on in the first row and the staff were trying to get them seated. Could have been the confusion.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted representatives for Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek for comment.
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