Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek’s red carpet appearance at Paris Fashion Week took a sharp turn when what was supposed to be a simple photo op became a tense, headline-grabbing exchange. The Australian actress was caught on video brushing off Hayek’s attempts to steer her towards the photographers, prompting Kidman to firmly tell Hayek, “Don’t touch me.” Witnesses say the frosty moment played out in front of an embarrassed-looking Katy Perry, who watched the exchange unfold alongside the pair.
Footage shows Hayek gently attempting to position Kidman for a group shot, resting a hand on her midriff—only to have Kidman swiftly swat it away. The tension was palpable as Kidman turned her back, before sharply facing Hayek again, raising her hand in a stop signal and pointing a finger in apparent frustration. Kidman then gave Perry a quick farewell kiss and walked off, exchanging what appeared to be final words with Hayek, who looked visibly concerned. According to one bystander, Hayek was heard saying, “Yes please—advice,” to which Kidman retorted, “You don’t need it,” leaving Hayek to reply, “I do.”
The moment has stirred a social media frenzy, with fans split over who was in the wrong. Some argue that Kidman was harsh, while others defend her boundaries. “Some people just don’t like to be touched, and you have to respect that,” one user posted. The red carpet tension seemed all the more intense given that this marked Kidman’s first major appearance since the passing of her mother, Janelle, making her perhaps understandably sensitive.
Adding to the intrigue, Hayek later shared an Instagram post from the event with an image of her and Kidman, both posing with noticeably stiff body language. The post, captioned, “Finally last night the grand finale of my Paris Fashion Week 2025,” with a tag for Balenciaga and fellow guests, suggests that the icy encounter didn’t end their evening entirely on bad terms, though fans can only speculate.
Of course the Latin media is the only one covering Nicole Kidman being fussy with Salma Hayek. With François-Henri Pinault and Katy Perry in tow. 👀 pic.twitter.com/nOSAGW84hn
— Cathedral Jones (@CathedralJones_) October 6, 2024
Kidman, dressed in a high-neck bodycon dress with black stilettos and dark sunglasses, and Hayek, in a sleek black gown with a plunging neckline, sat front row alongside Salma’s husband François-Henri Pinault. But as red carpet clashes go, this one has fans buzzing about whether there’s more than meets the eye between the two stars.
As fans continue to dissect the clip and choose sides, Kidman has since posted a heartfelt thank-you to fans for their support following her mother’s passing, expressing gratitude for the love shown to her family in a time of grief.
So, whose side are you on? Team Nicole, standing her ground? Or Team Salma, just trying to help a friend shine for the cameras?
